The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Reapportionment is the process re-distributing seats in the House of Representatives, or other legislative body, according to the population in each state. This example of reapportionment is actually done through a complex mathematical formula that ensures the most even distribution of House seats. While each state gets two seats in the U.S. Senate, each state is given a certain number […]
Read moreThe term right to die refers to the issue of whether a person who has a terminal illness, or who is facing a lingering death, should be permitted to end his life on his own terms. Someone’s “right to die” sums up all of the decisions involved in such a complex issue. Examples of right to die decisions include whether […]
Read moreSelective incorporation is a doctrine written into the Constitution that protects American citizens from their states’ enacting of laws that could infringe upon their rights. Selective incorporation is not a law, but a doctrine that has been established and confirmed time and again by the United States Supreme Court. Essentially, selective incorporation enables the federal government to place limits on […]
Read moreThe Pendleton Act of 1883 is a federal law enacted by the United States, which established that federal government positions should be awarded to candidates based on their merit, not based on with which party their political affiliations lie. To that end, the Act set up a system of civil service exams, in order to limit considerations of political affiliations […]
Read moreThe term monopoly refers to a situation in which a single person or organization is the only supplier of a particular commodity or service. In order for a monopoly to exist, there must be a lack of competition in the production of the good or offering of the service, as well as a lack of legitimate alternatives to the product […]
Read moreThe term judicial restraint refers to a belief that judges should limit the use of their power to strike down laws, or to declare them unfair or unconstitutional, unless there is a clear conflict with the Constitution. This concept relies heavily on the uniform adherence to case law, which encompasses decisions rendered by other judges on prior, similar cases. To […]
Read moreLegislation is laws that are made or enacted by a governing body, or “legislature.” In the United States, the legislative process functions at both the federal and state levels, where proposed laws are referred to as “bills.” Laws passed through the legislative process may serve to outlaw something, to authorize, sanction, or grant something, to regulate something, or to restrict […]
Read moreThe Elastic Clause, also known as the “Necessary and Proper Clause,” is perhaps the most important clause in the U.S. Constitution, though it is also the most controversial. The Clause gives Congress the authority to use powers not explicitly named in the Constitution, if they are necessary in order to perform its responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution. In other […]
Read moreThe Hatch Act of 1939 dictates that employees of the executive branch of the federal government, the District of Columbia government, as well as state and local employees who are affiliated with federally funded programs, are prohibited from publicly take a side when it comes to engaging in political activities. The Hatch Act (the “Act”) was amended in 1993 to […]
Read moreFederal Government meaning in law A federal government is a system of government that divides the power between a larger central government, and the local and regional governments beneath it. In the United States, the federal government’s powers were established by the Constitution. Perfect examples of federal governments are those that function best in large countries with a broad diversity […]
Read more