Saint Petersburg based attorney Derek Bernstein discusses the difference between a criminal case and a civil case.
A criminal case can only be brought by the state, meaning the state attorney federal prosecutors etc. however a civil case can be brought by any private or state run agency.
A criminal battery case is brought to state a civil battery case is brought by the person who was hit. A civil case is most of the time brought for money damages while a criminal case is to punish the person.