Explain the procedural differences between a criminal trial and a civil trial.

Criminal trials differ from civil trials in a number of ways. Special features of criminal trials include the right to a speedy and public trial, unanimous agreement by the jury on the verdict, a presumption of the defendant's innocence, a higher standard of proof (the defendant must be found guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt"), the privilege against self-incrimination, and the complex rules governing evidence that may be introduced at trial and how the evidence is introduced. Also, at the conclusion of a criminal trial, a defendant who is found guilty is sentenced by the judge or put on probation. At the conclusion of a civil trial, damages are typically assessed against the defendant.