What is the difference between a criminal suit, a civil suit and a class-action suit?
Criminal suits are cases that are filed by the government against an individual or an entity in order to seek social redress. Criminal lawsuits usually seek punishment in some form, rather than just a monetary fine. Civil lawsuits are filed against an individual or an entity in order to seek monetary compensation. Personal injury cases fall under the purview of civil lawsuits. Class-action suits usually lead to changes in the practices of a company or to get defective products off the market. These lawsuits do not entail much monetary redress for individuals since such cases are filed for instances of injury to a large number of people.
