The Law Dictionary for Everyone
A confederation is a union or coalition of people, or of separate states or nations, which have joined together for a common cause. The states of the South banded together into a confederation at the time of the U.S. Civil War, providing a historic example of confederation for generations to follow. Modern times see confederations of nations, created by treaties […]
Read moreThe term censorship refers to the suppression, banning, or deletion of speech, writing, or images that are considered to be indecent, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Censorship becomes a civil rights issue when a government or other entity with authority, suppresses ideas, or the expression of ideas, information, and self. In the U.S., censorship has been debated for decades, as some […]
Read moreCivil liberties are freedoms due every individual, just based on the fact that they are human beings. The Declaration of Independence asserts the creed of the American people, as it declares that all men are endowed with certain inalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Civil liberties are not gifted by governmental action, as they are […]
Read moreChecks and balances is a system for making sure that one department does not exceed its bounds, or for guarding against fraud and errors. In the U.S. government, the system of checks and balances is set to be a sentry over the separation of powers, balancing the separate branches of government. In a system of checks and balances, the authority […]
Read moreWhen the nation was newly formed, and the Constitution penned, the opinion of the people was divided somewhat. Most people praised the Constitution as a binding document that laid out the rules and limitations of the new government. Others, however, felt it gave too much power to the federal government, and that it could possibly swallow up the individual states. […]
Read moreAnarchy is commonly associated with a philosophy of social freedom, through a state of chaos and an absence of social structure. The ideology of anarchism holds a fundamental belief that governmental authority is oppressive, and should be eliminated, allowing people to engage in social cooperation voluntarily. This philosophy is based on the premise that man is the best judge of […]
Read moreAdministrative law is a branch of public law that is concerned with the procedures, rules, and regulations of a number of governmental agencies. Administrative law specifically deals with the such administrative agencies’ decision-making capabilities, as they carry out laws passed by state and federal legislatures. An example of administrative law is the regulation and operation of the Social Security Administration, […]
Read moreThe Supremacy Clause is an article in the United States Constitution that specifies that federal laws and treaties made under the authority of the Constitution are the supreme law of the land. Found in Article VI, Clause 2, the clause provides that states cannot interfere with federal law, and that federal law supersedes conflicting state laws. In addition, this supreme law is binding on […]
Read moreThe 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights, having been added to assure the people that the federal government would not overstep its authority. This brief and concise amendment expresses the concept of federalism, which in turn, supports the entire plan of the Constitution. It states that the government has only the specific […]
Read moreThe term sedition refers to overt conduct that excites people to rebel against their government. This may include making speeches, or distributing any writings with this goal in mind. Sedition by individuals in the South is what started America’s Civil War. Sedition is against both federal and state laws, and can lead to criminal charges that are quite severe. To […]
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