The Only Use of
criminal law
in
To Kill a Mockingbird
- They persisted in pleading Not Guilty to first-degree murder, so there was nothing much Atticus could do for his clients except be present at their departure, an occasion that was probably the beginning of my father's profound distaste for the practice of criminal law.
p. 5.6criminal law = the body of law dealing with crimes against the state as contrasted to civil law in which individuals can sue each other
Definition:
the body of law dealing with crimes against the state (like burglary) and their punishment as contrasted to civil law in which individuals can sue each other
A criminal case can send a defendant to prison or even impose the death penalty as compared to only imposing fines in a civil case. Accordingly, the standard of proof in criminal cases is "beyond reasonable doubt" which is a stronger standard than the preponderance of evidence required for civil law.