Some systems, including the English and French, allow governmental persons to bring a criminal prosecution against another person, prosecutions are nearly always started by the state, in order to punish the accused. Civil actions, on the other hand, are started by private individuals, companies or organizations, for their own benefit. In addition, governments (or their subdivisions or agencies) may also be parties to civil actions. The cases are usually in different courts, and juriescases. However this is distinguished from civil penal actions.
who starts the proceedings in a civil case
private individuals, companies or organizations