Law Wisdom
Criminal Cases and Civil Cases
Civil Cases
In these cases, a person or an organization asks a judge to settle a civil problem, such as
- a problem concerning an inheritance,
- a problem involving a contract, or
- a family problem, such as divorce or custody of children.
A person can also ask a judge for compensation for damage suffered because of someone else’s fault. This type of case is called a “civil responsibility” case. For example, if someone sues a plumber for poor repair work that caused a flood in her kitchen, the judge can order the plumber to pay money to compensate her for the water damage.
Civil cases deal with a wide range of topics, and many different rules apply to them. The “Civil Cases” column in the table below provides information on “civil responsibility” cases only.
Criminal Cases
The reason these cases come to court is always the same: a person is taken to court because she is accused of a crime. The judge, and sometimes a jury, must consider the evidence presented during a trial to decide whether the accused is guilty or innocent.
Most crimes and their punishments are described in the Criminal Code of Canada. Some crimes involve other people, including
- assault,
- murder,
- sexual assault, and
- identity theft.
Other crimes have to do with objects, such as drug possession and making fake money.
