Définition
An act or behaviour prohibited by criminal law and therefore punishable by law: fines, imprisonment, additional sentences, etc.
The distinction is made between three categories of offences, depending on their severity and the applicable sentences: petty offences, misdemeanours and crimes.
It is the prosecutor's office which qualifies the acts legally and determines the nature and the category of offences and the competent court. The said court may then requalify the same acts, including changing the category to which they belong.