Difference between substantial and procedural laws
Procedural laws
Procedural law provides the process that a case will go through (whether it goes to trial or not). The procedural law determines how a proceeding concerning the enforcement of substantive law will occur. Substantive law defines how the facts in the case will be handled, as well as how the crime is to be charged. In essence, it deals with the substance of the matter. Even though both are affected by Supreme Court opinions and subject to constitutional interpretations, each serves a different function in the criminal justice system.
How much detail is required for each phase of the criminal procedures will vary depending on the nature of your charges and what agency is prosecuting you. For example, Texas has a bi-furcated trial system where first you must be found guilty, and then the jury can hear punishment evidence. A jury is given a range of punishment to assess in your case. The range of punishment for a first degree felony is not less than five years and up to ninety-nine years or life. This is in stark contrast to the federal procedural law. Federal judges assess punishment and are required to utilize federal sentencing guidelines instead of a wide range system. A federal defendant’s criminal history will be researched and summarized in a report by a federal probation officer. It’s much easier to predict what your sentence will be in the federal system because the punishment procedures are based on a point system.
Substantive Law and It’s elements
Substantive law, on the other hand, deals with the “substance” of your charges. Every charge is comprised of elements. Elements are the specific acts needed to complete a crime. Substantive law requires that the prosecutor prove every element of a crime in order for someone to be convicted of that crime. What elements are required will depend on the crime with which you are charged and the state’s substantive laws. For example, for a felony driving while intoxicated charge, most states require prosecutors to prove that:
- You were driving or operating a motor vehicle;
- On a public roadway;
- While you were intoxicated;
- And that you have prior convictions for driving while intoxicated.
Order vs decree
Law implies a body of rules which are recognized by a country to govern the action and behavior of the citizens. It can be grouped as substantive law – that ascertains the rights of the parties and procedural/adjective law – that determines the practice, procedure and machinery to implement the rights and duties. On the grounds of decree or order, a judgment is passed by the court. An order is nothing but a judgment while a decree is a final part of judgement.