Civil vs. Criminal Statements
For each scenario, determine if it is a civil or criminal matter and mark it appropriately.
Civil / Criminal- Bob is calling to report someone used his bank card fraudulently. His bank called to notify him that a $622 charge was made in another state. Bob does not know who might have done this and the bank has stopped the charge.
- Connie is an 84 year old female who is calling because a neighbor promised to clean her yard and has not done it. She paid him $1,000 in advance about a month ago and has not heard from him since. He doesn’t answer his phone when she calls and does not answer his door.
- Eric is calling to say that he let his roommate use his credit card number to buy something on line. Now Eric has numerous charges that he did not make on his bill. He insists his roommate be arrested.
- Jane bought a horse two weeks ago from a private party. Now she is calling saying there is a man at her down claiming the horse was stolen from him and he wants it back. Jane has never seen this man before and is frightened of him.
- Jenny finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her. Her boyfriend is calling because she just smashed the windows out on his car. She’s standing in front of his home calling him names and all the neighbors are starting to gather.
- Jimmy is three months late paying his rent. He is calling because he landlord has changed the locks on his apartment and he cannot get in to get his belongings. He is in the process of moving out.
- Joe’s neighbor, Sam, has cut branches from Joe’s tree because they were hanging over into his yard. Joe didn’t think much of it at first but he is calling now because his tree is dead. He paid several hundred dollars for this tree and is not happy about it.
- Kathy’s pedigree, award-winning Pomeranian is missing from her yard. She is calling to report it missing and she thinks the neighbor’s have it. She said the neighbors have never owned a dog before and she can hear one that sounds just like hers barking from inside the house.
- Mary calls 911 very upset. She is at a local department store and trying to return merchandise. However, the store refuses to refund the money and will not give her a reason why.
- Matt is calling 911 because someone just backed their vehicle into his parked car. He is very upset. Both vehicles are in the mall parking lot. The driver of the other vehicle is there but uncooperative, refusing to show his driver’s license.
- The clerk at a local gas station calls about a customer inside the store ranting and raving about being short changed. The customer can be heard in the background. The clerk tells you he claims to have paid with a $20 bill but the clerk says he gave him a $10 bill and that is what he made change for. The clerk is refusing to give him any more change and wants the customer removed.
- Jack and his family are eating dinner at a local restaurant. His twelve-year old gets up to go to the bathroom and missteps on a floor wet from a spill. The child severely twists an ankle. The restaurant manager compensates by apologizing and giving them their meal free. After the meal, Jack takes the child to the hospital where they inform him the ankle is broken and will require surgery and pins to reset it. Jack feels the restaurant should pay for the medical expenses.