Civil law deals with individual wrongs. Criminal law deals with wrongs against society. For example, if someone steals your car, you have been wronged and can sue in civil court for compensation. However, society has also been wronged, and the state will prosecute the person for harming society (e.g. making it less safe). On the other hand, if someone defames you, you have been personally wronged, but society has not been. In this case, you can sue to be compensated for the defamation in civil court, but the state cannot prosecute in criminal court. Well, that is the philosophic answer. In practice, you can tell the difference by who brings the case. A criminal matter is brought by the government, whereas a civil matter is brought by another person (or some private entity). The outcome is also different. Criminal law primarily deals with rehabilitation or punishment for wrongs, and ends in fines or imprisonment. Civil law is about righting a wrong and has the primary purpose of compensation (although punitive damages can be awarded in some civil cases). You will note that you cannot be arrested or imprisoned for a civil matter, but you can for a criminal matter. This is why the burden of proof is different. In civil court the burden of proof is a “preponderance of the evidence.” This just means that the judge or jury believes that it is more likely than not that you were wronged. In criminal court the burden is “beyond a reasonable doubt,” which means the jury needs to be quite sure before they find someone guilty.

Guilty :- Criminal Law = beyond all reasonable doubt Civil Law = on the balance of probability