The Law Dictionary for Everyone
The 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution limits the number of terms a president can serve. It also implements eligibility conditions for presidents that succeed their predecessors. Congress passed the amendment on March 21, 1947 and the requisite number of states ratified it on February 27, 1951. To explore this concept, consider the following 22nd Amendment definition. Definition of 22nd Amendment Noun The Amendment to […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Brown v. Plata, 563 U.S. 493 (2011) Case Summary of Brown v. Plata: California’s prison population was almost at double its capacity. Because of the overcrowding, a three-judge panel (resulting from two class action suits) determined that the lack of medical and mental health care resulted in an Eighth Amendment violation. Under the Prison […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Strauder v. West Virginia, 100 U.S. 303 (1880) Case Summary of Strauder v. West Virginia: West Virginia had a law that declared that only white men may serve on juries. Strauder, an African-American who was indicted for murder, sought to remove his trial to federal court because West Virginia’s law was unconstitutional. The state […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399 (1986) Case Summary of Ford v. Wainwright: Petitioner Ford was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Following his sentence, Ford began to act in manner consistent with a serious mental disorder. Ford then went through Florida’s procedure on determining the competency of a condemned prisoner, whereby three […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Board of Education v. Earls, 536 U.S. 822 (2002) Case Summary of Board of Education v. Earls: The Tecumseh, Oklahoma, School District has a policy of drug testing all middle and high school students who participate in extracurricular activities. Several students and their families sued, claiming that the policy violates their civil rights and […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 535 U.S. 234 (2002) Case Summary of Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition: Two provisions of the Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996 were challenged as overbroad and vague by an adult-entertainment trade association and other parties. Specifically, the two provisions of the Act in question were (i) banning images […]
Read moreThe meaning of the 4th Amendment comes from unlawful searches and seizures. For example, the 4th Amendment protects people from the unlawful search and seizure by police of their persons, their homes, and their belongings. If an officer violates the 4th Amendment, the victim can sue for wrongful arrest, among other things. To explore this concept, consider the following 4th […]
Read moreThe meaning of “HIPAA law,” or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, refers to privacy concerning a person’s medical records. For example, HIPAA Law defines standards for the whole of the U.S. to follow regarding the protection of Americans’ medical records and other information relating to their personal health. To obtain medical records for someone, the patient must sign […]
Read moreThe meaning of “martial law” is the military taking control over what would normally be regular civilian functions. For example, martial law occurs in the wake of a natural disaster to impose order on what might otherwise become the hysterical masses. In some countries, governments may use this control as a way to enforce their power over the general public. […]
Read moreThe 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibited the manufacture, transport, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The states ratified it on January 16, 1919 though it did not take effect until the next year. Congress repealed this amendment, referred to as the “Noble Experiment” by President Herbert Hoover, in 1933. To explore this concept, consider the following 18th Amendment definition. […]
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