Public charge is the receipt of public benefits by an alien which could render them ineligible to become a lawful permanent resident. Under 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(4), “any alien who. . . is likely at any time to become a public charge is...
CIVICS
public corruption
Public corruption involves a breach of public trust and/or abuse of position by federal, state, or local officials and their private sector accomplices. By broad definition, a government official, whether elected, appointed or hired, may violate...
public domain lands
Public domain lands include any land or interest in land owned by the United States and administered by the Secretary of the Interior through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Compare with public domain. The BLM timeline describes how the first...
public option
In general, the choice of using a government-run program to satisfy some need instead of only choosing between privately run businesses.
In health care, the choice of buying some type of health insurance plan from the government instead of...
public policy
In general, public policy refers to the concepts that underlie social rules, which are frequently unwritten and implemented through programs as a course of action established and/or legislated, generally by a...
public property
Public property refers to property owned by the government (or its agency), rather than by a private individual or a company. It belongs to the public at large. Examples include many parks, streets, sidewalks, libraries, schools, playgrounds...
public record
Public records contain information, minutes, files, accounts, or any other documents that a governmental body is required to maintain, and must be accessible to the public. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was adopted in the United...
public trust doctrine
Public trust doctrine is a legal principle establishing that certain natural and cultural resources are preserved for public use. Natural resources held in trust can include navigable waters, wildlife, or land. The public is considered the...
public use
The right of the public to use property that was once privately owned after it has been taken by the federal or state government through its eminent domain power. The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment establishes the government’s power to take...
public utilities
See public utility.
[Last updated in March of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]