Civil Litigation Attorney in Akron

Akron Defense Lawyer Handling Civil Lawsuits

When people are accused of committing crimes, they tend to think that will only have to deal with the criminal court. A "not guilty" verdict in criminal court should be enough to get someone cleared of his or her allegations, right? Wrong. In some cases, the alleged victim will file a civil suit while the prosecutor files criminal charges.

For example, someone who is assaulted and injured by another person may sue the offender under a claim of personal injury. In civil litigation, the plaintiff (the alleged victim) sues the defendant (the alleged offender) for monetary damages. These might be damages for pain and suffering, emotional trauma, medical expenses, lost wages, loss of companionship, etc.

If you are convicted of the offense or agreed to a plea bargain in a criminal court, then this may serve to further the civil suit. Even if the prosecution did not find you guilty of a crime, the burden of proof for liability is much lower in a civil suit and you may still be held responsible for monetary and punitive damages because of negligent behavior.

If you have been charged with a crime in the Akron, Ohio area, then it is important that you work with an Akron criminal defense lawyer who is able to skillfully protect your rights to avoid both criminal and civil litigation. This is exactly what you find at my law firm, Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq. LLC. I am highly knowledgeable and understand the civil court system, as well as what steps will need to be taken to protect your best interests! When you retain my services, I will defend you in your criminal matter, but all the while doing everything possible to shield you from civil liability.

The O.J. Simpson Example

The O.J. Simpson case is one example of a scenario that led to both criminal and civil proceedings. Even though the former professional football player was acquitted of his murder charges in criminal court, he was later sued for alleged wrongful death. He lost the civil lawsuit and was required to pay $25 million in punitive damages, according to a 1997 New York Times article on the case. While your civil case might not be as extreme as this one, you could still be facing serious financial losses if you are found liable for damages in civil court.

Lower Burden of Proof in Civil Cases

It is important to remember that civil cases are very different from criminal cases. First of all, each type of case carries a different burden of proof. In a criminal case, a conviction can only occur if it is proven that the defendant committed a crime in violation of the law, and if it is proven that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the highest standard of proof available in the court system. With this standard, a person cannot be found guilty if there is even one small piece of evidence that would cause a reasonable person to seriously doubt the person's guilt.

On the other hand, civil cases only require the plaintiff to show a greater amount of evidence in his or her favor, even if the amount of favorable evidence is only slightly greater. Furthermore, it is not necessary to show in a civil case that a defendant is guilty of a crime. It is only necessary to show that the individuals is liable for the damages that the other person suffered, such as showing that a driver's negligent inattention to the road caused another person to become injured.

Contact Christopher G. Thomarios, Esq. LLC

Contact my Akron criminal defense firm to learn more about how I can defend your charges. By retaining my services, I can help you avoid a criminal conviction or plea bargain that could lead to increased penalties from a civil suit. Even those who have avoided conviction may be in danger of a civil suit!