法ほう定てい犯はん

noun

statutory offense; malum prohibitum

Legal term for an act that is criminal only because a statute prohibits it, as opposed to acts inherently wrong (自然犯). Used in academic and professional legal contexts.

See also: 自然犯

• 法ほう定てい犯はんは、法ほう律りつで禁きん止しされているから犯はん罪ざいとなる行こう為いを指さす。

  A statutory offense refers to an act that is criminal because it is prohibited by law.

• 交こう通つう違い反はんの多おおくは法ほう定てい犯はんに分ぶん類るいされる。

  Many traffic violations are classified as statutory offenses.