Who pays for the lawyer in a criminal prosecution and a civil lawsuit?
In a criminal case, the government pays for all the costs of the prosecution. In a civil case, the victim pays a fee to her attorney. Since many victims cannot afford the cost of an attorney for a civil case, the attorneys fee is usually a percentage of any financial award the victim receives at the conclusion of the case. If an attorney agrees to represent the victim under these conditions, the attorney understands that if the victim does not receive a financial award, the attorney will not receive a fee. For more information, click on What is a Criminal Prosecution? and What is a Civil Lawsuit?.
