What is a Criminal Lawyer?
In law there are two basic types of off lawsuits: criminal and civil. Civil lawsuits are lawsuits between two private parties, often two people. Criminal lawsuits are lawsuits brought by the state or federal government against an individual or group. Civil cases are initiated by the victim, and criminal cases are initiated by the government through a prosecutor. Criminal lawyers are those who defend the plaintiff in criminal lawsuits. What Criminal Lawyers Do Criminal lawyers represent their clients in lawsuits that are initiated by the government. Their clients are individuals or groups who have been accused of acts that are crimes of some sort. It could be a misdemeanor, which is a less serious crime like drunk driving, or it could be a felony, which is a serious crime like murder that could end in jail time or even the death penalty. Many people think of felonies when they think of criminal lawyers, but criminal lawyers also represent plaintiffs who are facing misdemeanor charge