From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcriminal lawˌcriminal ˈlaw noun [uncountable] SCLSCClaws concerning crimes and their punishments → civil law, common law There was not enough evidence to bring a prosecution under criminal law.
Examples from the Corpus
criminal law• This violates such deep-seated feelings of justice that it has proved to be unacceptable under any criminal law jurisdiction.• Two problematical areas in modern-day criminal law are dishonesty and intention.• Accordingly the use or threat of violence in connection with a prison mutiny can be dealt with under the general criminal law.• Mental disease caused by drunkenness is in criminal law treated as on the same footing with insanity.• A new criminal law amendment bill had been drawn up in 1909.• All said the system as set out in the Bill could involve the criminal law.• Another difficulty in the Gouriet case was that the applicant sought an injunction to restrain a threatened breach of the criminal law.• In both, it is assumed that the criminal law can and should be used to protect or to reinforce moral principles.From Longman Business Dictionarycriminal lawˌcriminal ˈlaw [uncountable]LAW law dealing with crime and people who commit crimeA solicitor offers advice on individual problems in civil or criminal law. → law 