rikosjutuissa

Rikosjutuissa is a Finnish phrase meaning “in criminal cases” and is widely used in legal texts to mark the scope of rules and procedures that apply to crime-related proceedings. It is formed from rikosjuttu (criminal case) and the locative plural suffix -issa, signaling that the discussion concerns the domain of criminal proceedings rather than other areas of law.

Grammatically, rikosjutuissa is the inessive plural form; the singular is rikosjutussa (in a criminal case). The phrase is common in formal writing such as statutes, court judgments, and legal commentary, where it introduces statements about which laws or procedures govern criminal matters. It often appears at the beginning of clauses that specify applicable rules.

Usage examples include sentences like “Rikosjutuissa sovelletaan rikosprosessilakia” (In criminal cases, the Criminal Procedure Act applies). The expression helps distinguish criminal proceedings from civil or administrative matters. Although frequent in official Finnish, it is less common in everyday speech and is primarily found in legal journalism, academic writing, and statutory drafting.

Origins and notes: The components rikos- (crime) and juttu (case or matter) combine with the locative -issa to form a standard legal locution. The phrase can be contrasted with similar expressions such as siviiliasioissa (in civil matters), reflecting Finland’s practice of partitioning rules by the nature of the proceeding. See also topics related to Finnish criminal law and procedure for broader context.