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criminal law

American  

noun

criminal laws plural
  1. the laws of a state or country dealing with criminal offenses and their punishments.


criminal law British  

noun

  1. the body of law dealing with the constitution of offences and the punishment of offenders

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of criminal law

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

"He was sentenced... under juvenile criminal law," he told RBB TV.

From BBC Jul. 27, 2026

The idea of holding individuals responsible for such violations was forged in that process and became the basis of international criminal law.

From Salon Jul. 19, 2026

In criminal law, "the burden of proof is higher," noted Brandon Garrett, a law professor at Duke University -- with prosecutors required to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

From Barron's May 11, 2026

In 2024, the Utah Supreme Court blocked enforcement of the criminal law.

From Slate May 4, 2026

Figuring out Alabama civil and criminal law while managing death penalty cases in several other states kept me very busy.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

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