A hung jury is a jury that is unable to reach a verdict by the required voting margin. A hung jury will often lead to a retrial of the case. In some cases, the judge may instruct the jury to continue their deliberation, but this is not a...
criminal law and procedure
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In 2003, the Homeland Security Act separated ICE from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)....
immunity
Immunity refers to legal protection that exempts a person from liability, punishment, or legal action that would otherwise apply. Immunity can be granted in various contexts, including criminal and civil cases, administrative proceedings, and...
immunity from prosecution
Immunity from prosecution is a legal protection granted to a person that shields them from criminal prosecution for a particular offense or set of offenses. This protection is typically granted by a prosecutor or a court and prevents the...
impanel
To impanel is to select and assign a jury for the purpose of deciding a case, also known as empanel. The usual steps of impaneling may include:
collecting the names of potential jurors in a random manner; selecting the...impaneling
Impaneling refers to the selection and assignment of a jury for the purpose of deciding a case, also known as empaneling. The usual steps of impaneling may include:
Collecting the names of potential jurors in a random manner;...impeachment of a witness
Impeachment of a witness refers to the process of discrediting or undermining the credibility of a witness during a trial, by presenting evidence or asking questions that contradict their testimony or reveal a bias, inconsistency, or...
implied consent
Implied consent, compared to express consent (where consent is directly and clearly given with explicit words), is the agreement given by a person’s action (even just a gesture) or inaction, or can be inferred from certain circumstances by...
impossibility
Impossibility is a defense from liability under criminal law and an excuse for non-performance under contract law.
Under contract law, a party can raise an impossibility defense when an unforeseen event occurs after the...
impound
To impound refers to a process in both civil practice and criminal law, where the court or police take custody of personal property, such as an automobile or building. Generally, it is understood that the property will be returned to the...