Judgment In Civil Action

Category: Criminal Procedure

Judgment In Civil Action

Sec.  5.  Judgment  in  civil  action  not  a  bar.  –  A  final  judgment rendered in a civil action absolving the defendant from civil liability is not a bar to a criminal action against the defendant for the same act or omission subject of the civil action.

WHEN  THE  DEFENDANT  IS  ABSOLVED  OF  CIVIL  LIABILITY  IN  A CIVIL ACTION, CAN A CRIMINAL ACTION STILL BE FILED AGAINST HIM?  (ALTERNATIVE  QUESTION:  FOR  EXAMPLE,  X  INSTITUTED  A CIVIL  ACTION  BEFOREHAND  AND  IT  WAS  DISMISSED  LATER  ON.  CAN A CRIMINAL ACTION STILL BE FILED?)

> Yes,  while  every  person  criminally  liable  is  also  civilly  liable,  the converse is not true
> Therefore,  even  if  the  defendant  is  absolved  of  civil  liability  in  a civil action, a criminal action can still be filed against him.
> The outcome of the civil action is not in anyway determinative of the guilt or innocence of the respondent in the civil case
> Besides,  the  state  is  a  party  in  a  criminal  action,  while  only  the private offended party is a party in a civil action
> Moreover,  the  quantum  of  evidence  in  the  civil  action  is  only preponderance  of  evidence  while  that  required  in  the  criminal action is proof beyond reasonable doubt
 

CAN THE OFFENDED PARTY STILL INTERVENE WITH THE CRIMINAL ACTION?

> No because interest of the offended party is only civil
> Any time he institutes the 3 actions, he cannot anymore intervene in the criminal action
> The interest of the state is criminal prosecution of the accused