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Quick Overview of the Legal System
The
legal system is divided into two areas: civil law and criminal
law. Separate courts administrate these two areas of the law.
Civil
Law
Civil
law covers disputes where neither party is accused of a
crime. In a civil domestic violence action, you are asking
the court to protect you from the person abusing you. You
are not asking the court to punish that person for committing
a crime.
Criminal
Law
The
criminal law system handles all cases that involve violations
of criminal law such as harassment, assault, murder, theft,
etc. A criminal complaint involves charging your abuser
with a crime.
Note:
In NY, if you get an order of protection in Family Court and
your abuser violates it, that can be a crime. A judge in Family
Court might hear that criminal case, instead of in a criminal
court.
Click
below for an overview of order protection, custody, divorce,
and immigration.
