Skip to main content

courts and procedure

Absentee ballot

Definition

A paper ballot submitted, before an election day and often by mail, by a voter who is unable to attend the official polling station on election day. Also termed absentee vote.

Abrogate

Definition

To formally annul or repeal a law through an act of the legislature, constitutional authority, or custom.

Contract and Insurance law: to rescind or terminate a contract.

Vagueness doctrine

Definition

1) A constitutional rule that requires criminal laws to state explicitly and definitely what conduct is punishable.  Criminal laws that violate this requirement are said to be void for vagueness.  Vagueness doctrine rests on the due process clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S.

v.

Definition

An abbreviation for versus, meaning against. Used in case names, e.g. McDonald v. Chicago, 130 S.Ct. 3020 (2010).

See also

Syndicate content