What is the difference between criminal and civil law?

The difference between criminal and civil law in Maryland is that criminal law deals with punishing an offender for a crime, while civil law deals with disputes between two parties over a specific issue or set of issues. In criminal law, a prosecutor from the government brings charges against an accused person, known as the defendant. The goal of the prosecutor is to prove that the defendant committed a crime, and if convicted, the defendant can face punishments such as probation, fines, or even jail time. In contrast, civil law deals with disputes between two parties, usually referred to as plaintiffs and defendants. In this context, each party is seeking a resolution to a dispute, generally in the form of financial compensation. In addition, the parties can also seek an injunction to prevent a certain action from occurring. The main difference between criminal and civil law is that while criminal law aims to punish wrongdoers, civil law seeks to provide a remedy by ensuring that the party causing the harm is made to compensate the aggrieved party. Moreover, criminal cases require a higher standard of evidence as compared to civil cases, as a criminal conviction can result in severe punishments.

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What is the difference between criminal and civil law?

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