There are many types of lawyers because the law encompasses everything that we do. One of the questions that the common people would like to clarify is the difference between civil and criminal lawyers.
For the criminal defense attorney in Provo or other major cities, criminal defense is their main vocation. Is it possible for them to handle civil cases as well? Here are the distinguishing factors between the two:
Civil Law vs. Criminal Law
Civil Law is about the disputes and cases between individuals. To clarify, “individuals” is not necessarily a person; it can also be a business, a party, or an organization. The Civil Court will decide who will get awarded damages (money) or any remedies that the plaintiff wants to have.
Criminal law is about crimes committed by individuals or groups. It deals with offenses against the statutory laws and it results in a conviction and the sentencing of corresponding punishment.
Differences between Civil Lawyers and Criminal Lawyers
There are also differences in how the lawyers operate. Criminal defense lawyers can act as an individual, but some will have their own small partnerships. These lawyers are highly localized, preferring to practice in a particular city or location.
In contrast, civil lawyers are usually from big law firms, even in a corporate setting, and they work in law firms that even have different branches. These civil lawyers who work in large, high-profile law firms will also represent multi-national companies with worldwide operations.
The corporations that require civil lawyers always seem to have a continuous need for legal advice. Because of the size of their company, there are always civil complaints and legal disputes.
The defense attorneys only need to win the case for their client, and after that, the work is done until they have a new client.
What Can Criminal Defense Attorneys Do to Help You?
There are many ways that a criminal defense lawyer can help you. They need to defend you from accusations against you, and to do that, they need to conduct investigations and seek for witnesses to help build up your case. It is also a task to compel the witnesses to testify since that is not always an easy task.
At some point, the criminal lawyer should sit down and fairly assess the case of their client on whether they have a fair chance for acquittal or if they should sit down for a plea bargain.
The plea bargain is negotiated with the prosecution. The purpose of this is to seek a reduction of your sentence and also try to have some charges dismissed. Plea bargaining is complicated and usually entrusted to criminal defense lawyers (as opposed to those who choose to defend themselves).
What Can Civil Lawyers Do to Help You?
As mentioned, the civil lawyers will represent you when you complain that you have been wronged. They are also called litigators. They will need to build the case, in the same way as criminal defendants.
However, the goal here is to prove that your client has been treated unfairly and should, therefore, be remunerated financially or other ways that the client has required.
The distinction between civil and criminal lawyers are clear now. Each type of lawyer entails a different approach. Be sure to work with the right type of lawyer if you need legal help.
