Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is the level of alcohol (understood as ethanol) circulating in the bloodstream. For example, a BAC level of 0.20% means that a person’s bloodstream contains 0.20g/dL (milligrams per deciliter) of alcohol for every...
criminal law
boiler room
A boiler room is a telephone operation where salespeople cold-call a list of potential investors, in an attempt to get them to invest in stock, services, or goods. These salespeople may convince people to invest by making false claims,...
bond
A bond refers to an obligation to pay a specified amount of money.
In the field of business, a bond functions similar to a loan and is sold by entities seeking an inflow of cash now in exchange for the promise of future interest on...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...
booking
Booking is the process where information about a criminal suspect is entered into the system of a police station or jail after that person’s arrest. Exact procedures may vary amongst jurisdictions, but most share similar features. Generally,...
breach
A breach is a violation of law or when a party fails to perform their part of a contractual agreement. For more information, see breach of contract.
[Last updated in June of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
breach of the peace
Breach of the peace is a generic phrase to describe a criminal offense that violates the public peace or order. Since numerous criminal offenses can be perceived as a violation of the public peace, this phrase is usually used to describe the...
breaking and entering
Breaking and entering is defined as the entering of a building through force without authorization. The slightest force including pushing open a door is all that is necessary. Breaking also includes entering a building through fraud, threats...
breathalyzer
A breathalyzer is the device used by law enforcement authorities to determine the amount of alcohol in a driver’s system through a breath sample.
[Last updated in April of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
bribery
Bribery is defined generally as corrupt solicitation, acceptance, or transfer of value in exchange for official action.
Overview:Bribery refers to the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a...