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statutory offense

statutory offense

7.7
A crime that a law makes illegal
  • noun
  • /ˈstætʃəˌtɔri əˈfɛns/
  • Formal
translation icon : delito estatutario
  • The company was fined for committing a statutory offense by violating environmental regulations.

Examples

  • For example, the Ontario Environmental Protection Act provides for a variety of statutory offenses that relate, in essence, to the protection of the natural environment.

    Academic text (1992)
  • As mentioned previously, the concept of private prosecutions is restricted to use in Canada and is not available to Canadians seeking redress for a statutory offense committed in the U.S.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Indiscretion in conversation or any other form, within or without these rooms regarding what happens here, is a statutory offense punishable by up to two years imprisonment with hard labor.

  • Under the new law, driving without a valid license is now considered a statutory offense.

  • In many jurisdictions, failing to file taxes on time is a statutory offense that can lead to serious penalties.

Synonyms

crime
vsstatutory offense
1.4

An act that breaks the law and can be punished

is the subset defined in statute rather than by common law
offense
vsstatutory offense
  • US
351 3.3

An act that breaks a law or rule

is a specific legal crime created by statute not just any rule breach
criminal offense
vsstatutory offense
  • US
14 3.5

An action that breaks the law and can result in punishment such as jail or fines

is specifically defined by legislation rather than by older common law

Surface Forms

Morphology

statutory + offense

The meaning 'a crime defined and prohibited by a statute' is directly derivable from combining 'statutory' (related to laws made by a legislature) with 'offense' (a legal violation). This adjective+noun composition follows standard, cross-linguistically common legal naming patterns and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Statutory offense comes from statutory, from the word 'statute' meaning a law written by lawmakers, and offense, meaning a crime. So a statutory offense is a crime that is written down in the law rather than one made by judges.