Art. 381 Nature of criminal prosecution

When someone commits a crime, the state (not the victim) is the one who takes the case to court. This means the criminal case is officially called "State versus" whoever is accused, because the government is the one enforcing the law and seeking punishment.

The victim of the crime does not count as a party in this criminal case. They don't have legal control over how the case moves forward, whether charges are filed, or what punishment happens. The state's prosecutor makes those decisions, not the victim.

This also means the criminal case does not decide the victim's personal legal rights. If a victim wants money for damages, medical bills, or other harm caused by the crime, they need to file a separate civil lawsuit. The criminal case and any civil case are two different legal paths.