Legal Definitions - criminative

The term criminative describes anything that suggests or points towards someone's involvement in a crime or wrongdoing. It refers to evidence, statements, or actions that serve to incriminate or accuse an individual.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of the term:

• Imagine a detective investigating a burglary. They discover a unique, custom-made button from a suspect's jacket caught in the window frame of the burgled house. This button would be considered criminative evidence because it directly links the suspect to the scene of the crime, strongly suggesting their involvement and providing a basis for accusation.

• During a trial for embezzlement, a former colleague testifies that they personally witnessed the defendant transferring company funds into a private offshore account without authorization. This testimony is criminative because it directly accuses the defendant of the illegal act and provides a basis for their incrimination.

• After a hit-and-run accident, a car matching the description of the one involved is found hidden under a tarp in a remote garage, with fresh damage consistent with the collision. The act of concealing the damaged vehicle is a criminative action, as it suggests an attempt to hide evidence and avoid responsibility, thereby incriminating the owner in the accident.