/ English Dictionary |
CRIMINAL LAW
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The body of law dealing with crimes and their punishment
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("criminal law" is a kind of...):
legal code (a code of laws adopted by a state or nation)
Meronyms (parts of "criminal law"):
Riot Act (a former English law requiring mobs to disperse after a magistrate reads the law to them)
Domain category:
jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)
Domain member category:
crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)
condemnation; conviction; judgment of conviction; sentence ((criminal law) a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed)
partial verdict ((criminal law) a finding that the defendant is guilty of some charges but innocent of others)
nolo contendere; non vult ((law) an answer of 'no contest' by a defendant who does not admit guilt but that subjects him to conviction)
insanity plea; plea of insanity ((criminal law) a plea in which the defendant claims innocence due to mental incompetence at the time)
charge; complaint ((criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense)
plea bargain; plea bargaining ((criminal law) a negotiation in which the defendant agrees to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser charge and the prosecutor agrees to drop a more serious charge)
principal ((criminal law) any person involved in a criminal offense, regardless of whether the person profits from such involvement)
bail; bail bond; bond ((criminal law) money that must be forfeited by the bondsman if an accused person fails to appear in court for trial)