Ma'anar ƙamus na "kotun laifuka" kotu ce da ke da hurumin shari'ar da suka shafi laifuffuka, kamar sata, hari, ko kisa. A cikin kotun laifuka, ana yi wa wanda ake tuhuma shari'a kuma, idan aka same shi da laifi, za a iya azabtar da shi da tara, ɗari, ko wasu hukunce-hukunce. Manufar kotun laifi ita ce ta tantance ko mutum ya aikata laifi, idan kuwa haka ne, a zartar da hukuncin da ya yi daidai da laifin da aka aikata.