The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Sexual battery is a term describing a sexual crime that involves criminal sexual contact or touching. The difference between sexual battery and rape is that sexual battery does not involve intercourse or other kinds of forced sexual penetration. Sexual battery can occur while the victim is clothed, as well as unclothed. However, while some states use the term “sexual battery” […]
Read morePublic nudity refers to someone appearing naked in public, or being naked in an area that can be seen by the public. Examples of public nudity include being naked in a public swimming pool, on a beach, or on private property, such as at a shopping mall. Someone walking around naked inside the privacy of his own home is not […]
Read moreThe term “person of interest” is used by law enforcement officials when discussing someone who has not yet been arrested or accused of crime, but who is still being investigated in a criminal investigation. The police are said to be “interested” in that person. While some terms, like “suspect” and “target” are clearly defined, the term “person of interest” is […]
Read moreThe term police brutality refers to the use of unnecessary, or excessive force by police officers when handling civilians. Examples of police brutality can include the use of pepper spray, nerve gas, or batons, though it does not have to be physical abuse or attack. This behavior can extend to such actions as pulling a gun on someone in order […]
Read moreThe term police misconduct refers to illegal or inappropriate action engaged in by police officers. Police misconduct can include instances of such things as discrimination or even obstructions of justice. Modern times have seen a huge increase in the number of people possessing mobile devices capable of recording video and sound. Because of this, more police misconduct is being captured […]
Read morePolygamy, polygyny, and polyandry are terms that are often inaccurately interchanged with one another. However, the term polyandry refers to the practice of having more than one husband at a time. This term is more precise than the term polygamy, which refers to having more than one spouse (regardless of sex) at a time. Polyandry can also refer, in the […]
Read moreA pillory is a wooden device, with holes cut out for a person’s head and hands to be stuck through. Similar to a “stocks, the pillory was used historically to punish someone for an offense, through public humiliation. Pillories were also used to physically abuse people. To explore this concept, consider the following pillory definition. Definition of Pillory Noun A […]
Read moreKleptomania is a recurrent urge to steal, that is motivated by more of an emotional need to steal, rather than a financial one. This is to say that those with kleptomania who steal do not steal because they need the items they take; in fact, the items they steal often do not even have much value. Kleptomania is instead a […]
Read moreThe term parricide is defined as the murder of a close relative. Some may confuse “parricide” with “patricide,” but the latter term refers only to the murder of one’s father. The term “parricide,” on the other hand, is used to define the murder of one’s parents, siblings, or another close relative. Those who engage in parricide often do so due […]
Read moreImprisonment is the act of taking away someone’s freedom, though this does not always mean that the person is physically locked up in a jail cell. Imprisonment can be carried out for any reason, whether it’s with the permission of the government, or by a person who acts without any authority. If the latter is true, then the imprisonment is […]
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