Definition of Criminal

adj. That which pertains to or is connected with the law of crimes or the administration of penal justice or which relates to or has the character of crime. Charleston v. Beller, 45 W. Va. 44, 30 S. B. 152; State v. Burton, 113 N. C. 655, 18 S. E. 657.
—Criminal act. A term which is equivalent to crime; or is sometimes used with a slight softening or glossing of the meaning, or as importing a possible question of the legal guilt of the deed.
—Criminal action. The proceeding by which a party charged with a public offense is accused and brought to trial and punishment is known as a "criminal action." Pen. Code Cal. § 683. A criminal action is
(1) an action prosecuted by the state as a party, against a person charged with a public offense, for the punishment thereof ;
(2) an action prosecuted by the state, at the instance of an individual, to prevent an apprehended crime, against hls person or property. Co.de N. C. 1883, § 129. State v. Railroad Co.. (C. Ct) 37 Fed. 497, 3 L. R. A. 554; Ames v. Kansas, 111 U. S. 449, 4 Sup. Ct. 437, 28 L. Ed. 482; State v. Costello, 61 Co.nn. 497, 23 Atl. 868.
—Criminal case. An action, suit, or cause instituted to punish an infraction of the criminal laws. State v. Smalls, 11 S. C. 279; Adams v. Ashby, 2 Bibb. (Ky.) 07; U. S. v. Three Tons of Coal, 28 Fed. Cas. 149; People v. Iron Co.., 201 111. 236, 66 N. E. 349.
—Criminal charge. An accusation of crime, formulated in a written, complaint, information, or indictment, and taking shape in a prosecution. U. S. v. Patterson. 150 U. S. 65, 14 Sup. Ct. 20, 37 L Ed. 999; Eason v. Slate, 11 Aria 482.
—Criminal conversation. Adultery, considered in its aspect of a civil injury to the husband entitling him to damages; the tort of debauching or seducing of a wife. Often abbreviated to crim. con.
— Criminal intent. The intent to commit a crime ; malice, as evidenced by a criminal act; an intent to deprive or defraud the true owner of his property. People v. Moore, 3 N. Y. Cr. R. 458.
—Criminal law. That branch or division of law which treats of crimes and their punishments. In the plural
—"criminal laws"
—the term may denote the laws which define and prohibit the various species of crimes and establish their punishments. U. S. v. Reisinger, 128 U. S. 398, 9 Sup. Ct. 99, 32 L. Ed. 480.
— Criminal law amendment act. This act was passed in 1871, (34 & 35 Viet. c. 32,) to prevent and punish any violence, threats, or molestation, on the part either of master or workmen, in the various relations arising between them. 4 Steph. Co.mm 241.
—Criminal law consolidation acts. The statutes 24 & 25 Viet. cc. 94-100, passed in 1861, for the consolidation of the criminal law of England and Ireland. 4 Steph. Comm. 207. These important statutes amount to a codification of the modern criminal law of England.
—Criminal letters. In Scotch law. A process used as the commencement of a criminal proceeding, in the nature of a summons issued by the lord advocate or his deputy. It resembles a criminal information at common law.
—Criminal proceeding. One instituted and conducted for the purpose either of preventing the commission of crime, or for fixing the guilt of a crime alreadv committed and punishing the offender; as distinguished from a "civii" proceeding, which is for the redress of a private injury. U. S. v. Lee Huen (D. G.) 118 Fed. 442 ; Sevier v. Washington Co.unty Justices, Peck (Tenn.) 334; People v. Ontario County, 4 Denio (N. Y.) 260.
—Criminal procedure. The method pointed out by law for the apprehension, trial, or prosecution, and fixing the punishment, of those persons who have broken or violated, or are supposed to have broken or violated, the laws prescribed for the regulation of the conduct of the people of the community, and who have thereby laid themselves liable to fine or imprisonment or other punishment. 4 Amer. & Etog. Enc. Law, 730.
—Criminal process. Process which issues to compel a person to answer for a crime or misdemeanor. Ward v. Lewis, 1 Stew. (Ala.) 27.
—Criminal prosecution. An action or proceeding instituted in a proper court on behalf of the public, for the purpose of securing the conviction and punishment of one accused of crime. Har-ger v. Thomas, 44 Pa. 128, 84 Am. Dec. 422; Ely v. Thompson. 3 A. K. Marsh. (Ky.) 70. As to criminal "Conspiracy," "Contempt," "Information," "Jurisdiction," "Libel," "Negligence," "Operation," see those titles.