Trestní

Trestní is a Czech adjective meaning related to punishment or criminal law. It is commonly used in legal and official language to denote topics connected with the punishment of crime and the processes by which criminal liability is determined. In this sense it appears in terms such as trestní právo (criminal law), trestní řád (Criminal Procedure Code), trestní řízení (criminal proceedings), trestní odpovědnost (criminal liability), trestní sankce (criminal sanctions), and trestní soud (criminal court).

A closely related adjective, trestný, is often used to describe the offense itself. For example, trestný čin means a criminal offense. The distinction between trestný and trestní can be subtle but important: trestný typically qualifies the act as illegal, while trestní describes the broader legal framework, institutions, or procedures surrounding punishment.

Trestní is neutral in tone and widely found in statutes, court decisions, academic writing, and other formal discourse. It appears in many standard phrases addressing the criminal justice system, such as trestní odpovědnost mladistvých or trestní řízení před soudem, reflecting its central role in Czech criminal law terminology.

In summary, trestní denotes aspects of criminal law, procedures, and punishment, whereas trestný refers to the offense itself. Both terms are essential in Czech legal vocabulary and commonly occur in official contexts describing how criminal justice is administered.