civil law and criminal law

Question 1

what is civil law

Answer 1

• civil law is about private disputes between individuals and/or businesses.

Question 2

what are the several types of civil law

Answer 2

• law of tort
• contract law
• human rights
• family law
• employment law
• company law

Question 3

law of tort

Answer 3

• law of tort occurs where the civil law holds that, even though there is no contract between them, one person owes a legal responsibility of some kind to another person, and there has been a breach of its responsibility.
• if there is a breach of this responsibility, then the person attracted can make a claim under the law of tort.

Question 4

law of contract

Answer 4

• a contract is where the parties have made an agreement and each side has put something into the agreement.
• if one party to the contract has not kept their side of the bargain, then the other party can bring a claim against them

Question 5

human rights law

Answer 5

• cases that involve breaches of human rights. these rights will be upheld in the English courts.
• compensation can be awarded where there is a breach of human rights, it is also possible for other remedies to be given, such as an injunction to prevent the future publication of photographs

Question 6

criminal law

Answer 6

• criminal law sets out the types of behaviour which are forbidden at risk of punishment. A person who commits a crime is said to have offended against the state, and so the state has the right to prosecute them.
• the criminal courts have the right to punish those who break criminal Law.

Question 7

differences between civil and criminal law

Answer 7

• purpose of the law
• person starting the case
• courts
• standard of
• outcome of case

Question 8

what is the claimant

Answer 8

• the legal term for a person or organisation starting a civil claim in the courts

Question 9

what is the prosecutor

Answer 9

• the legal term for the person or organisation bringing a criminal charge against a defendant