What is the difference between a criminal case and a civil case?
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office handles criminal cases. The main difference between a criminal and civil case is the penalty involved and the burden of proof. A person found guilty of a criminal offense, even a minor offense, may lose his liberty. Conversely, an award of monetary damages usually remedies civil wrongs. In a criminal case, the State must prove a person’s guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.” The burden of proof in a civil case is less stringent. In most civil cases, the plaintiff must prove his case by a “preponderance of the evidence”.
