wex backgrounders

In the law of corporations, describes decision by a court to subordinate a controlling shareholder’s claims upon debt owed her by her own firm, to those of other  “outside” (i.e., bona fide third party) creditors in bankruptcy.

Article I of the US Constitution creates and defines the powers of Congress. For more on specific congressional powers, see:

 legislative power

 commerce power

 investigatory powers

 taxing power

 spending power

 war and defense powers

 property power

Freedom of Disposition is a principle of trusts and estates law that says the law should grant freedom to people to dispose of their property in any way they want. Two schools of thought surround this theory. The less popular view is that the freedom of disposition is a natural right and should not be constrained by the law in any way. The more common view is that freedom of disposition is a political right and is subject to some constraint.

Originally prepared by Deepa Sarkar of the Cornell Law School Securities Law Clinic.

Originally prepared by Deepa Sarkar of the Cornell Law School Securities Law Clinic.

Originally prepared by Deepa Sarkar of the Cornell Law School Securities Law Clinic.

fourth amendment: an overview

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) enforces federal laws prohibiting workplace discrimination. The EEOC was created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The employment section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, known as Title VII, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion, and also prohibits employers from retaliating against any employee who exercises his or her rights under Title VII. Today, the EEOC enforces federal anti-discrimination statutes, and provides oversight and coordination of all federal equal opportunity regulations, policies, and practices.

The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are non-binding rules that set out a uniform sentencing policy for defendants convicted in the United States federal court system that became effective in 1987. The Guidelines provide for “very precise calibration of sentences, depending upon a number of factors. These factors relate both to the subjective guilt of the defendant and to the harm caused by his facts.” Payne v. Tennessee, 501 U.S. 808, 820 (1991).