School Improvement in Maryland
Court Proceedings Civil Cases
What's the difference between civil and criminal law? How do the court proceedings differ in these two types of trials? How do the standards of proof differ? Why do these differences exist? As part of their examination of the...
Heritage Foundation
Crime and Punishment
You wouldn't give someone a 10-day timeout for eating a piece of candy. The US government, too, does not believe in unreasonable punishment. A variety of exercises exploring the clauses of the US Constitution prompts class members to...
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 9
Students examine and compare/contrast the steps of criminal and civil cases. They define key vocabulary terms, develop an outline of a criminal and civil trial, and analyze the differences in standards of proof in legal cases.
Curated OER
Theories of Crime and Punishment
Students examine goals of two major theories of punishment, Utilitarian Theory and Retributive Theory, develop opinions about ethics and effectiveness of both theories, define legal duties of prosecutors and public defenders, and discuss...
Judicial Learning Center
Your Day in Court
Whether out of choice or necessity, people want to know what will happen on a typical day in court. A helpful lesson walks scholars in the field of criminology through the trial process from opening statements to the final verdict.
Curated OER
I Didn't Do It! (Is Anyone guilty Anymore?)
Students explore the concept of "reasonable doubt" in our criminal court system and compare it to "preponderance of the evidence" in the civil court system. They discuss the trials of OJ Simpson and other historical criminal defendants.
Other
Differences Between Civil and Criminal Law in the Usa
This website provides a well-organized introduction to the differences between civil and criminal law. Addresses topics such as "punishment," "burden of proof," "protections for criminal defendants" and "ignorance of the law." Examples...