This document discusses the differences between criminal and civil cases, highlighting that criminal offenses are considered offenses against the state and prosecuted by the state, while civil cases involve disputes between individuals. Criminal cases can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment, whereas civil cases typically lead to monetary remedies or court orders. The author, Sherb Sentell III, is a lawyer with extensive experience in both fields and emphasizes the importance of including victim input in serious felony prosecutions.

1. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
CRIMINAL AND CIVIL
CASES
By Sherb Sentell III

2. Introduction
 Sherb Sentell III is a practicing civil and criminal
lawyer whose office is located in Minden,
Louisiana. His law firm, the Sentell Law Firm LLC,
handles civil cases involving car accidents, oil and
gas, contract disputes, successions, and
corporate and limited liability company work in the
Minden, Bossier City, and Shreveport regional
areas. As an Assistant District Attorney with over
12 years experience for Bossier and Webster
Parishes, Sherb Sentell has lectured on criminal
law in a number of venues, including Penn State
University's Dickinson School of Law located in
Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

3. Criminal and Civil Cases
 There are a number of notable differences in the
litigation process when comparing criminal and
civil cases. The overarching difference is that in a
criminal case, the offense is considered to have
been committed against the state or society. Even
personal crimes, such as homicide, are deemed
as a transgression against the community at large
due to the crime’s heinous nature. Prosecutors,
therefore, represent the state when trying a
criminal case, whereas attorneys in a civil case
serve a wronged individual or party. However,
Sherb Sentell makes it a part of his practice as a
criminal prosecutor to always get input from the
victim or victim’s family in serious felony cases.

4. Conclusion
 Criminal cases also are different because they
involve penalties that include jail or hard labor
confinement and in the most extreme cases
can result in life in prison or the death penalty.
Civil cases generally involve disputes in which
the court remedy involves the payment of
money from one party to the other and/or may
include certain court orders or restrictions.
Criminal punishments can also include fines,
court costs, and restitution to the victim.