Even if a defendant fails to fully complete a crime, they can still be charged with the attempt of that crime, i.e. in the case of an uncompleted or inchoate offense. The requirements for proving attempts vary by jurisdiction, though a party...
criminal law
automobile exception
The "automobile exception" is an exception to the general requirement of a warrant for searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment. Under the exception, a vehicle may be searched without a warrant when evidence or contraband may...
autopsy
Autopsy, borrowed from the Greek autopsia, meaning “the act of seeing with one’s own eyes” means the detailed medical examination, and/or dissection of a dead body to determine the cause of death, or for any scientific and medical purpose....
avowal
Avowal is a declaration made by an attorney during the trial process. This is an open declaration by an attorney representing a party in a lawsuit, made after the jury has been removed from the courtroom, that requests the admission of...
back-to-back life sentences
Back-to-back life sentences refers to the imposition upon a defendant of two or more consecutive life terms. A one-life sentence imposes an obligation on a defendant to serve 15 to 25 years in prison until the eligibility of parole. The...
bail
Bail is the money a defendant pays as a guarantee that they will show up in court at a later date. A failure to return triggers the bond obligation and allows the court to keep any money given as security. According to the American Bar...
bail bond
Bail bond is an agreement to pay the court if a criminal defendant fails to meet the terms of conditional release from custody. Many bail bonds are signed by the defendant and the defendant's sureties (e.g., a bondsman). Some bail bonds are...
bail bondsman
A bondsman is a person who guarantees a bond. Bondsmen are most frequently seen in the context of bail bondsman for criminal defendants.
A bail bondsman is a person who provides bail bonds for people charged with crimes and...
bailee
A bailee is a person who receives property from the owner, known as a bailor, and holds the property for the owner for a particular purpose such as custody or repair. Some examples of this include storage companies that hold people’s...
bankruptcy fraud
Bankruptcy fraud is a white-collar crime that commonly takes four general forms:
A debtor conceals assets to avoid having to forfeit them. An individual intentionally files false or incomplete forms. Including false information on a...