On this episode of Sex at Work, the Law Sisters explore the difference between a criminal case and a civil lawsuit. Criminal cases are brought by the state, and the prosecution must prove the defendant is guilty of breaking a criminal law beyond a reasonable doubt. Because the state is the party to the case (as in “State v. Brown), the victim is often not made whole. Victims may receive restitution in certain cases, and many prosecutions involve victim’s advocates so that victims are integrated into the case.
Civil cases seek to prove a violation of the law by a different standard. A plaintiff must prove that it is more likely than not that the law was broken. A plaintiff in a civil suit seeks compensation for losses and sometimes asks to be reinstated or promoted or otherwise restored in the workplace.
We discuss a case where two sisters were sexually harassed by an assistant manager at a North Myrtle Beach Applebee’s. Since Applebee’s management failed to take action, the EEOC is suing Applebee’s Grill and Bar for a sexually hostile work environment.
In more political news, you might not want your high schooler to intern for Nevada State Senator, Mark Manendo! Manendo recently resigned amidst a private investigation into sexual harassment claims. He has allegedly harassed interns in both the 2003 and 2009 NV Senate sessions.
What is it with politicians and sexual harassment? David Schwimmer’s PSA, The Politician, shows an example of one politician getting a bit too handsy!
For more Law Sisters, follow us on Twitter @LawSisters.
Hosted by: Leto Copeley (@LetoC | Twitter), and Valerie Johnson (@ValerieAJohnson | Twitter)
