and a civil suit often has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence that was determined in a related criminal suit..... think OJ Simpson..... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OJ_Simpson#Civil_trial_for_wrongful_death" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OJ_Simpson#Civil_trial_for_wrongful_death</a>