The Law Dictionary for Everyone
If someone is “incapacitated,” this means that he is unable to react or respond in a clear manner to that which is going on around him. For example, an incapacitated person may be someone who has had too much alcohol and, as a result, has passed out. Anyone who then tries to communicate with this person will not receive a […]
Read moreThe term “capital offense” is used to describe a crime that is so serious that the death penalty may be considered an adequate punishment. One of the most common examples of a capital offense would be murder. Treason, or the betrayal of one’s country, is also considered a capital offense, and it is punishable by death. To explore this concept, […]
Read moreDriving while intoxicated (DWI), or under the influence (DUI) puts both the driver, and innocent people at risk. Not only is it dangerous, it is considered a criminal offense, and those charged with the crime can face severe consequences. A DWI lawyer is a legal professional that represents individuals charged with a DWI or DUI. Keep reading to learn more […]
Read moreThe term “child endangerment” is used to describe an act, or the failure to perform an act, that puts a child’s safety in danger. Examples of child endangerment can include any threats to a child’s physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing. Child abuse that is the result of child endangerment is typically charged as a misdemeanor, though abuse that results in […]
Read moreThe term “exonerated” is used to describe a person who has been convicted of a crime, only to be declared innocent after the fact. When someone is exonerated, this makes for an especially difficult situation if the person has spent many years in prison, or who has already been executed as the result of his sentence. In its simplest terms, […]
Read moreSpecific deterrence is a type of punishment that is meant to discourage future criminal behavior in a person being charged with a crime. For example, specific deterrence is used to prevent an offender from committing the same crime in the future. Punishments associated with specific deterrence may include fines, prison sentences, or both, and the severity of the punishment typically […]
Read moreThe Latin term nolo contendere, better known as “no contest,” is one possible plea to a criminal charge. A “no contest” plea is very similar to a guilty plea. However, the difference here is that a defendant who enters a nolo contendere plea agrees to be convicted and punished for a crime, while not actually admitting that he is guilty. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128 (1978) Case Summary of Rakas v. Illinois: Police stopped a car after receiving a radio call that it may have been involved in a robbery. The officer searched the car after having petitioners, who were passengers in the car, step out. Evidence of the robbery was found in […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Padilla v. Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010) Case Summary of Padilla v. Kentucky: Padilla, a 40-year permanent resident of the U.S., was charged with transporting a large amount of marijuana. Padilla’s attorney said that he would not be deported as a result of pleading guilty to a drug charge because he was in the […]
Read moreWhen a crime is committed with “malice aforethought,” this means that the crime was premeditated, and the perpetrator held malice for the victim. Put another way, malice aforethought can be defined as a crime being planned in advance, with the intention to kill or grievously harm another individual. Originally, proof of malice aforethought was a requirement in certain jurisdictions in […]
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