Criminal Law

Definition of Criminal Law

Note: See a more comprehensive approach to the Criminal Law legal concept in the American Law Encyclopedia

Law that deals with formally forbidden conduct. Criminal law both declares what conduct is illegal and sets forth the penalties for violations. The purpose of criminal law is the prevention of harm to the community and the protection of public safety. Criminal law is the opposite of civil law, which essentially governs individual conduct with respect to private matters. A wide range of conduct has been prescribed. The most serious offenses are classified as felonies and may be punishable by prison sentences in excess of one year. Such offenses as murder, arson, assault, and armed robbery are examples of felonies. In many states, the individual who commits the felony of first-degree murder may receive capital punishment. Less serious offenses are called misdemeanors and generally carry lighter punishments such as jail time up to a year in length or monetary fines. Certain traffic violations, shoplifting, and disorderly conduct are among those infractions typically defined as misdemeanors. Our federal system empowers both the national and state levels to define criminal conduct. Most criminal law is enacted at the state level, although the body of federal criminal law has increased since the early 1980s as the federal government has become more active in such areas as drug enforcement. Substantive criminal law in effect either nationally or in a particular state is typically compiled into a single criminal code.

See Also

Civil Law (Judicial Function) Code (Judicial Function) Legal Positivism (Judicial Function).

Resources

Criminal Law Related Resources

• Criminal Law in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Judicial Function Keywords in the United States Legal Encyclopedia
• Judicial Function Keywords in the International Legal Dictionary

Notes

• “Criminal Law”, The American Law Dictionary, 1991, California

Criminal Law

In the Past

By criminal (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.S. encyclopedia) law is understood that system of laws which gives for the mode of trial of people charged with criminal (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.S. encyclopedia) offences, defines crimes and gives for their punishments. [1]

Resources

Notes and References

1. Partialy, this information about criminal law is based on the Bouvier's Law Dictionary, 1848 edition. There is a list of terms of the Bouvier's Law Dictionary, including criminal law.

See Also

Criminal Law (Judicial Function)

Meaning of Criminal Law

This is a brief definition of criminal law; a term used, in general, in the field of procedural law within the United States: Body of law defining crimes and the punishments therefore_ as distinguished from civil law.