A criminal case refers to a case in which a criminal suspect or defendant is accused of violating the social relations protected by the criminal law, and the state conducts investigation, trial and criminal sanctions in order to investigate the criminal suspect or defendant's criminal responsibility.

In criminal cases, the national criminal judicial organs usually take the initiative to intervene. After the victim or the public reports the case, the public security and procuratorial organs will intervene in the investigation. Then, the procuratorate, on behalf of the state, prosecutes the defendant, and the court, as the judge of the law, conducts a fair trial, so as to achieve the criminal purpose of punishing the offender and protecting the people.