Civil Defendant Legal Definition Of Civil Defendant
In the eyes of the law, any individual facing criminal or civil charges is recognized as a defendant. Plaintiff files a document (a complaint or a petition) with the clerk of the court stating the reasons why the plaintiff is suing the defendant and what action the plaintiff desires the court to take. Soon after each the plaintiff and defendant present their version of events, a judge or jury will make a decision whose story is a lot more plausible.
In criminal law, a guilty defendant is punished by either (1) incarceration in a jail or prison, (two) fine paid to the government, or, in exceptional situations, (three) execution of the defendant: the death penalty. In a civil suit, the plaintiff have to prove that it is probable that the defendant is legally responsible, or liable, simply because a civil case is decided on a balance of probabilities.
The Right to a Speedy Trial: It can take years before a plaintiff of a civil suit receives a day in court with the defendant, but a defendant of a criminal case has a right to a speedy trial below legal protections that are provided to criminal defendants. When a civil lawsuit involves many parties (i.e. exactly where three individual plaintiffs sue 1 defendant, or one plaintiff sues two separate defendants), attorneys representing every celebration might give their personal distinct opening arguments. In most civil circumstances, the plaintiff will seek some sort of financial compensation for the alleged offense.
In civil litigation, … Read the rest >>>