noun, na-adjective
clearly guilty; proven guilty; guilt is evident
Used when someone's guilt for a crime is clearly established or obvious. Often appears in legal or formal contexts, but can be used in everyday speech to emphasize that the person is undeniably guilty.
証拠が揃って、彼は罪状明白だ。
With all the evidence, his guilt is clear.
罪状明白の被告に弁護の余地はなかった。
There was no room for defense for the clearly guilty defendant.
Compound of 罪状 (nature of the crime) and 明白 (clear, obvious). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is formed from standard Sino-Japanese elements.