criminal case

USAGE SUMMARY

"criminal case" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used in legal or journalistic contexts to refer to a case that involves a crime. Example: "The judge ruled in favor of the defendant in the criminal case."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

What criminal case?

The New Yorker

It's just a criminal case".

The New York Times

"This criminal case was invented against me.

The New York Times

"What if it's a criminal case?

The New Yorker

— First it was a criminal case.

The New York Times

There was no criminal case against Eisai.

The New York Times

Steerwell was a criminal case.

Stanford University

The criminal case remains pending.

The Washington Post

The criminal case was dropped.

The New Yorker

The criminal case moved efficiently.

The New York Times

"There wouldn't be a criminal case filed".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about legal matters, ensure you accurately differentiate between a "criminal case", which involves violations of criminal law, and a civil case, which involves disputes between individuals or organizations.

Common error

Avoid using "criminal case" when you actually mean a civil lawsuit. A "criminal case" involves the government prosecuting someone for breaking the law, whereas a civil case involves private parties seeking compensation or other remedies.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "criminal case" functions primarily as a noun phrase, identifying a specific type of legal action. Ludwig shows its use in various contexts, all referring to legal proceedings related to crimes. It typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

20%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "criminal case" is a common and grammatically correct term used to describe a legal proceeding involving a violation of criminal law. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is suitable for use in a wide range of contexts, primarily news, media, and academic settings. When discussing legal matters, use the term accurately, differentiating it from civil cases. Alternative phrases, such as "penal case" or "criminal trial", may be used depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. Remember that it is important to verify that you are, in fact, referring to a "criminal case" rather than a civil matter when you employ this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

crime case

Shortened version of the original phrase.

penal case

Replaces "criminal" with "penal", emphasizing the punishment aspect.

criminal trial

Focuses specifically on the trial aspect of a criminal matter.

offence case

Uses "offence" instead of "crime", which can be interchangeable.

criminal lawsuit

Emphasizes the legal action aspect of the case.

criminal litigation

Highlights the process of taking legal action.

illegal case

Highlights the illegality of the actions involved in the case.

judicial case

Focuses on the involvement of the judiciary.

legal case

Broader term; encompasses any case within the legal system, not necessarily criminal.

criminal procedure

Focuses on the rules and steps of a criminal case

FAQs

How to use "criminal case" in a sentence?

You can use "criminal case" to refer to a legal proceeding where an individual is accused of committing a crime. For example, "The defendant pleaded not guilty in the criminal case."

What's the difference between "criminal case" and "legal case"?

While "criminal case" specifically involves a crime, "legal case" is a broader term that can include civil disputes, contract issues, or any matter brought before a court of law.

What are some synonyms for "criminal case"?

Synonyms for "criminal case" include "penal case", "criminal trial", or "illegal case", depending on the specific context you want to emphasize.

When is it appropriate to use the term "criminal case"?

Use "criminal case" when the situation involves a violation of criminal law that is being prosecuted by the government. Avoid using it for civil matters or disputes between private parties.