A person can be acquitted in a criminal trial and still be found civilly liable for the same deaths in a separate civil case.
November 17, 2025
high
legal_principle
Difference between criminal and civil proceedings and standards of proof.
A hung jury in a criminal trial means the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, which results in no verdict and can lead to a mistrial and potential retrial.
high
legal_procedure
Describes the legal consequence of a jury being unable to reach a verdict in a criminal trial.
In the United States, a defendant can be acquitted in a criminal trial and still be found civilly liable for the same underlying conduct in a separate civil proceeding.
high
legal
Criminal and civil proceedings use different standards of proof, allowing different outcomes on the same underlying conduct.