What is the difference between criminal and civil procedure?

The main difference between criminal and civil procedure is what the government is trying to do. In criminal procedure, the government is trying to prove that a person is guilty of a crime. This means they have to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the person committed the crime. To do this, they have to provide evidence that the person committed the crime, present witnesses, and prove the person was the one who committed it. In civil procedure, the government is not trying to prove someone is guilty of a crime. Instead, it is a dispute between two parties over a disagreement. This could involve a contract dispute, a dispute over the care of a child, or a dispute over property. In the state of Washington, civil procedure involves both parties filing a lawsuit in court and presenting evidence to a judge or jury. The judge or jury then makes a ruling on who is in the right and who is responsible for the disagreement. In conclusion, criminal and civil procedure are different in that criminal procedure is about the government trying to prove someone committed a crime, while civil procedure is about a dispute between two parties and determining who is responsible for the disagreement.

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