- 6 Marks
Question
A person’s conduct may be an offence or a civil wrong.
Required:
State and explain any THREE main distinctions between an offence and a civil wrong. (6 Marks)
Answer
The distinctions between an offence and a civil wrong are:
i. Nature of the Wrong: An offence is a wrong against the State, while a civil wrong is a wrong against an individual or a private entity.
ii. Objective: The objective of a criminal trial is to punish the offender, while in civil cases, the objective is to compensate the injured party.
iii. Burden of Proof: In criminal cases, the burden of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt,” while in civil cases, it is “on the balance of probabilities.”
- Tags: Civil Law, Criminal Law, Distinctions
- Level: Level 1
- Topic: Introduction to Law
- Series: MAY 2015
- Uploader: Joseph