Criminal Law

Criminal Law or penal law, involves prosecution by the government of a person for an act that has been classified as a crime. It is the body of statutory and common law that deals with crime and the legal punishment of criminal offenses. Civil cases, on the other hand, involve individuals and organizations seeking to resolve legal disputes. In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. However, persons found liable in a civil case may only have to give up property or pay money, but are not incarcerated.

 There are four theories of criminal justice: punishment, deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation. It is believed that by imposing sanctions for the crime, society can achieve justice and a peaceable social order.

Criminal Law deals with: Arson, Assault, Battery, Bribery, Burglary, Child Abuse, Child Pornography, Computer Crimes, Controlled Substances, Credit Card Fraud , Criminal Defense, Durgs and Narcotics, DUI/DWI, Embezzlement, Fraud, Expungements, Felonies, Homicide, Identity Theft, Manslaughter, Money Laundering, Murder, Perjury, Prostitution, Rape, RICO, Robbery, Sex Crimes, Shoplifting, Theft, Weapons, White Collar Crime and Wire Fraud among others.

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Free Legal Forms for Criminal Law

• Certificate of Identity Theft-Judicial Finding of Factual Innocence
• Defendant's Statement of Assets
• Fingerprint Form
• Notice of Hearing on Request for Transfer or Extension of Time for Retention of Superior Court Records
• NOTICE OF INTENT TO DESTROY SUPERIOR COURT RECORDS
• Notice of Termination of Protective Order in Criminal Proceeding
• Protective Order in Criminal Proceeding
• Release and Receipt of Superior Court Records
• Report to the Judicial Council-Superior Court Records Destroyed, Preserved, and Transferred
• Request for Dismissal

A "crime" is any act or omission (of an act) in violation of a public law forbidding or commanding it. Though there are some common law crimes, most crimes in the United States are established by local, state, and federal governments. Criminal laws vary significantly from state to state. There is, however, a Model Penal Code (MPC) which serves as a good starting place to gain an understanding of the basic structure of criminal liability.

Crimes include both felonies (more serious offenses -- like murder or rape) and misdemeanors (less serious offenses -- like petty theft or jaywalking). Felonies are usually crimes punishable by imprisonment of a year or more, while misdemeanors are crimes punishable by less than a year. However, no act is a crime if it has not been previously established as such either by statute or common law. Recently, the list of Federal crimes dealing with activities extending beyond state boundaries or having special impact on federal operations, has grown.

All statutes describing criminal behavior can be broken down into their various elements. Most crimes (with the exception of strict-liability crimes) consist of two elements: an act, or "actus reus," and a mental state, or "mens rea". Prosecutors have to prove each and every element of the crime to yield a conviction. Furthermore, the prosecutor must persuade the jury or judge "beyond a reasonable doubt" of every fact necessary to constitute the crime charged. In civil cases, the plaintiff needs to show a defendant is liable only by a "preponderance of the evidence," or more than 50%.

Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer specializing in defense of individuals charged with DUI, DWI and other criminal conduct.

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