In criminal cases, the burden of proof is “beyond a reasonable doubt.” This is a high standard, meaning that the prosecution must convince the judge or jury that there is no reasonable doubt about the defendant’s guilt. Criminal cases involve severe consequences like jail time, so the law requires stronger proof before convicting someone. If there is any reasonable uncertainty, the defendant cannot be convicted.
In civil cases, the standard is “preponderance of the evidence.” This means that the plaintiff must show that their claim is more likely true than not—essentially, that there is a greater than 50% chance their argument is correct. Civil cases mainly deal with disputes between individuals, often involving financial compensation rather than imprisonment. A person/entity proven "not guilty" of criminal charges can be proven guilty of civil charges.