'''Criminal Law''' refers to the [[law]] set up by a state to penalize violations of the social order. Violations of criminal law are thought to be offenses so grave as to endanger the state or its moral order; this contrasts with private law, like [[tort]] law, where the offense sued upon is an offense against only a single person. | '''Criminal Law''' refers to the [[law]] set up by a state to penalize violations of the social order. Violations of criminal law are thought to be offenses so grave as to endanger the state or its moral order; this contrasts with private law, like [[tort]] law, where the offense sued upon is an offense against only a single person. |