Your Free Online Legal Dictionary • Featuring Black’s Law Dictionary, 2nd Ed.
Attorney-client privilege and attorney-client confidentiality are vital to the relationship that exists between a lawyer and his or her client. Without protections surrounding privilege and confidentiality, attorneys would have an extremely difficult
The insanity defense often stirs up quite a bit of debate, especially among members of the public who may not be fully aware of how courts determine whether or not a person
In the modern justice system, great emphasis has been placed on rehabilitating offenders so that they become productive members of society. Legal experts and society at large have largely recognized that punishment
The presumption of innocence is one of the foundations of the administration of criminal law in the United States, England, and other countries that follow a common law tradition. The only way
If you are accused of committing a crime, the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees you the right to be represented by an attorney. A defendant who cannot afford to retain
Exigent circumstances refer to times when a law enforcement officer can make a warrantless search or seizure. Because a warrantless search potentially violates the Fourth Amendment, which otherwise protects people from unreasonable
Fundamental to almost any democracy, a writ of habeas corpus is widely considered one of the most basic protections citizens have against unchecked state power. While habeas corpus is a fundamental component
Being charged with a crime needs to be taken seriously. For those who have been issued an arrest warrant, it is extremely important that they respond to it in the appropriate manner.
For a growing number of victims of statutory rape, the pursuit of justice has taken the form of civil lawsuits. Because the standard of evidence in civil lawsuits is lower than in
Many people receive probation instead of jail time in criminal cases. They must comply with certain regulations in accordance with their probation, otherwise, they could receive new charges or be sent to
A restraining order, sometimes called an order of protection, is a binding legal order issued by a court. Typically, a restraining order is issued when one party is accused of: Stalking Harassing
In the United States, both juveniles and adults may be charged with crimes. Both are entitled to be made aware of the charges and to have legal representation. The lawyers in either
When the mysterious serial killer Jack the Ripper roamed through the gritty and foggy streets of London in the 19th century, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department of London’s Metropolitan Police were
Video may have killed the radio star, but the Internet killed the record store. The music industry has not been the same ever since a file sharing software application called Napster was
Retribution is at the heart of just about all judicial systems that deal with law and order. To the extent that punishment is supposed to fit the crime, retributive justice can be
If you’re a witness or victim of a crime, one of the first steps to justice is filing a police report, which helps prompt an investigation. And while it is imperative to
Criminal laws are a method of social control by which government designates certain behaviors as contrary to the health, safety, or moral welfare of society. The laws define the conduct and establish
If someone you love is incarcerated, you may feel helpless. Although you may not be able to see your friend or family member very often, there is one way you can comfort
In the U.S. justice system, everyone is entitled to a vigorous legal defense. In most cases, this defense is headed up by an experienced defense attorney. However, many people don’t really know
Internet fraud and online scams are just two of the ugly downsides of the Information Age. The advent of the Internet has impacted just about every facet of life, and crime has