Criminal Procedure

EFFECT OF ACQUITTAL ON THE CIVIL ACTION

THE EFFECT OF ACQUITTAL ON THE CIVIL ACTION

> The  general  rule  is  that  the  civil  action  is  not  necessarily extinguished by the acquittal of the accused.  Even if the accused is acquitted, the court can still award civil liability in the following cases:
1.    When  the  acquittal  is  based  on  reasonable  doubt  and there was no negligence
2.    When  there  is  a  declaration  in  the  decision  that  the liability of the accused is only civil
3.    When the civil liability is not derived from or based on the criminal   act   of   which   the   accused   is   acquitted (independent civil actions)
> However, if the decision contains a finding that the act from which the  civil  liability  may  arise  doesn’t  exist,  the  civil  liability  is extinguished
 

WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF ACQUITTAL?

1.    Acquittal based on reasonable doubt
2.    Acquittal based on the merits—he didn't commit the crime
 

CAN  YOU  COMPEL  A  JUDGE  BY  MANDAMUS  TO  AWARD  CIVIL DAMAGES?

> Yes, because every person criminally liable is also civilly liable
> Another reason is that even if the accused is acquitted, there are cases when he is still civilly liable
 

WHAT   IS   THE   REASON   FOR   ALLOWING   CIVIL   LIABILITY   TO SUBSIST IN SPITE OF THE ACQUITTAL OF THE ACCUSED?

> The reason is that the parties in the criminal and civil actions are different—in the criminal action, the party is the state, while in the civil action, the party is the private offended party
> Also, the two actions require different quantities of evidence—the criminal  action  requires  proof  of  guilt  beyond  reasonable  doubt, the civil action on the other hand, requires mere preponderance of evidence


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