The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Yellow journalism is the use of sensational headlines, rather than factual news, to capture a reader’s attention. The hope is that the reader will choose one publication over its competitor. Examples of yellow journalism can be found next to any grocery store’s checkout line, with tabloids that boast about “shocking” celebrity news, or the “confirmation” of alien lifeforms. Modern yellow […]
Read moreThe term adultery refers to sexual relations between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse. In other words, it is having sex with someone other than your spouse. Adultery has been viewed as both socially and spiritually throughout history, and is mentioned many times in the Bible. In a modern legal sense, adultery is […]
Read moreAbduction refers to the act of restraining, or carrying or leading someone away, especially if the purpose is to disrupt a relationship. Examples of abduction include those related to child custody disputes, in which a parent may abduct a child in order to keep the child away from the other parent. Abduction is commonly accomplished by luring, convincing, or persuading […]
Read moreA whistleblower is an employee who notices and reports wrongdoing within his company or organization, which could negatively affect the public as a whole. Whistleblowers are protected under the law. This means that whistleblowers should not have to fear retribution, such as the loss of their jobs, simply because they “blew the whistle,” speaking up against unlawful acts. To explore […]
Read moreAn Alford plea is a plea that may be entered by a defendant who has been charged with a crime. In entering an Alford plea, the individual essentially enters a plea of guilty, while maintaining a claim of innocence. In such a case, the defendant is admitting that, whatever evidence the prosecution has is likely to convince the court he […]
Read moreThe term symbolic speech refers to an action that expresses an idea or opinion without using words alone. The law recognizes that verbal words are not the only way for people to express themselves, and so other methods of expression are protected by the Free Speech Clause of the Constitution. These may include such acts as the wearing of certain […]
Read moreVerbal abuse is also known as “verbal bullying” because it is the act of directing negative statements toward someone, causing emotional harm. Verbal abuse consists of behaviors that are non-physical, but which can still be rather damaging, such as being threatening, insulting, or humiliating toward someone. Those who are verbally abusive tend to be so because they believe it will […]
Read moreTotalitarianism is a political system in which the government controls every aspect of its citizens’ public and private lives. An example of totalitarianism can be seen in a government that does not permit individual freedoms of any kind. Although the term was originally meant to be a positive thing, by the time World War II began, reality had linked the […]
Read morePhilosophers throughout history have agreed that the greatest desire of mankind is happiness. Utilitarianism, also referred to as “maximizing utility,” is the theory that citizens should behave in such a way as to make as many people happy as possible. “Utility,” in this context refers to the well-being of people and other sentient beings. To explore this concept, consider the […]
Read moreTyranny is generally accepted as a severe form of government that is led by an incompetent leader who is both cruel and oppressive. These leaders are known as “tyrants,” and an example of tyranny is a government that controls its citizens with fear. As a result of being otherwise unfit to lead, the ruler may attempt to keep his power […]
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