Archive for May, 2009

Criminal law involves prosecution by the government of a person for an act that has been classified as a crime. 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. 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.

A personal injury solicitor in Sheffield can help you claim damages against the police if you feel that you have suffered unfair personal injury at the hands of one of their officers.

In modern society, it is understood that the police are here to protect and serve the general public, making the world a better, safer place to inhabit. Most of the time this is the case, with officers actively pursuing criminals, walking the streets on the lookout for danger and generally watching out for our general well being.

A good personal injury solicitor can help you take on what can be a huge and daunting feat and make the whole process less intimidating, hopefully reaching the best outcome for you and your needs.

Compensation is the likely outcome of a police claim. If you were to get compensation it would fall into one of three categories:

1. Basic damages

3. Exemplary Damages – for extreme cases