criminal code
Offense definition laws
A criminal code is the body of laws defining crimes and their punishments within a jurisdiction.
It specifies what conduct is illegal—from theft to murder to fraud—and establishes penalties for violations.
Most countries and many states or provinces organize these laws into a single statutory document: The criminal code was amended to include cyberstalking.
Distinguished from civil law, which governs disputes between private parties rather than offenses against the state.
Pursuing legal charges
- defenseProtection against harm
- defendantParty facing charges
- judgeOne who decides
- juryLegal decision-making body
verdict · conviction · acquittal · testimony · witness · cross-examination · appeal · adjudication
Violation or umbrage
- felonySerious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- violationBreaking of rules
- infractionMinor rule breach
theft · assault · murder · fraud · manslaughter · robbery · burglary · arson
Enacted written rule
- codificationOrganizing rules into system
- provisionsStockpiled food and supplies
- sectionsDivided portions of something
- clausesGrammatical or legal units
articles · chapters · subsections · amendments · enactment · ordinance · bylaws · acts
Legal detention in jail
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- fineAcceptable in quality
- probationSupervised trial period
- sentencingImposing legal punishment
restitution · community service · parole · detention · suspended sentence · life sentence · correctional · punitive
prosecution
Pursuing legal charges
jury · verdict · conviction · acquittal · testimony · witness · cross-examination · appeal · adjudication · indictment
offense
Violation or umbrage
- felonySerious criminal offense
- misdemeanorLesser criminal charge
- violationBreaking of rules
infraction · theft · assault · murder · fraud · manslaughter · robbery · burglary · arson · embezzlement
statute
Enacted written rule
- codificationOrganizing rules into system
- provisionsStockpiled food and supplies
- sectionsDivided portions of something
clauses · articles · chapters · subsections · amendments · enactment · ordinance · bylaws · acts · bill
imprisonment
Legal detention in jail
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- fineAcceptable in quality
- probationSupervised trial period
sentencing · restitution · community service · parole · detention · suspended sentence · life sentence · correctional · punitive · penalty
- legal fieldscivil law, administrative law, common law, civil procedure, family law
- Islamic Lawsharia, Sharia, Shariah, Islamic law, fatwa
- Caribbean Lawconstitutional law, court system, legal history
- DDR Lawadministrative law, civil procedure, legal framework, statutory law, legal reforms
- South Asian Lawhigh courts, high court, Muslim law, fundamental rights, advocate
- criminal justicearrest, jail, court, prison, guilty
criminal codecivil code
Codified private law system
civil law · tort law · contract law · commercial code · family law
criminal codecommon law
Jurisprudence from judicial decisions
case law · unwritten law · judicial precedent · natural law · equity
criminal codebill of rights
Document listing protected liberties
declaration of rights · decriminalization · amnesty · legal immunity
crime, code, criminal, criminality, criminally, criminologist, decriminalize, criminalize, criminology