Eli5 – How can someone be proven not guilty of murder in criminal court but still sued in civil court?
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It happens all the time. OJ Simpson was found not guilty in his famous criminal trial. The jury found there was no substantial evidence to prove he did commit the murder.
Two years after the family of Ron Goldman sued Simpson in the civil case and he was found liable for the wrongful death. The jurors found out that it is more likely than not that he did cause Ron’s death. His family got awarded million of dollars in compensation.
The standard for proving if someone is guilty/ liable differs between criminal and civil court. The reason is that government has an enormous powers and ability. When they convict someone it needs to be based on undisputed evidence, because the potential outcome can be death/ life without the possibility of the parole. In civil court stakes are much lower so it is decided on 50-50 (preponderance of the evidence), i.e something is more likely than not.
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