Key Elements of the Criminal Law Conflict System, with Special Reference to Spanish Criminal Law

Abstract Criminally relevant conduct often falls under several criminal precepts, regulating as many criminal notions as possible, and it is necessary to decide whether all, some or only one of them could be applicable. This phenomenon, termed ‘conflict’, occurs when a subject’s actions with criminal relevance are, wholly or partially, subsumed under different criminal precepts. To definitively classify the punishable act, it is then necessary to take a further step, which can be considered conclusive, and determine the precept or precepts applicable to the act. Hence, this paper analyses the meaning, content, and application of the conflict of laws and conflict of rules.