Temporary restraining orders (TROs) are a type of short-term injunction issued to prevent a party from taking a certain action until the court is able to issue a more enduring order, such as a preliminary injunction. TROs are a type of...
criminal law
Terry stop / stop and frisk
A Terry stop is another name for stop and frisk; the name came from the U.S Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio. The Court in Terry held that a stop-and-frisk must comply with the Fourth Amendment, meaning that the stop-and-frisk cannot be...
theft
Theft is the taking of another person’s personal property with the intent of depriving that person of the use of their property. Also referred to as larceny.
Theft is often divided into grand theft and petty theft. If the...
three strikes
Three strikes, or three-strikes law, is a criminal sentencing structure in which significantly harsher punishments are imposed on repeated offenders. Three-strikes laws generally mandate a life sentence for the third violation of violent...
time served
“Time served” is a term colloquially used by courts when imposing a sentence that is deemed to be completely satisfied by the defendant's previous time spent in custody while awaiting sentencing. When a judge sentences a defendant to “time...
trafficking
Trafficking is the transporting of or transacting in illegal goods or people. See drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and human trafficking.
[Last updated in December of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]
transcarceration
Transcarceration is the transfer of prisoners or persons institutionalized for mental illness from one facility to another of the same type. Through transcarceration, prisoners are moved from one prison to another, and those institutionalized...
transferred intent
Transferred intent is used when a defendant intends to harm one victim, but then unintentionally harms a second victim instead. In this case, the defendant's intent transfers from the intended victim to the actual victim and can be used to...
trap and trace device
A trap and trace device is a device or process that records the sources of incoming signals to a specific phone or computer. This is often used by law enforcement as the advanced counterpart of Caller ID. A trap and trace device identifies...
treason
Treason refers to the betrayal of one’s own country by attempting to overthrow the government through waging war against the state or materially aiding its enemies.
According to the United States Constitution, Article III,...