The term unlawful is a general description for conduct that is illegal or not authorized by law.
The term is sometimes used in a more narrow sense; for instance, unlawful may refer only to conduct that is criminally...
criminal law and procedure
unlawful confinement
Unlawful confinement is a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The crime has the following elements:
The perpetrator confined a victim or victims; Those victims were protected under...unreasonable
The term “unreasonable” refers to any action or result that exceeds a reasonable expectation, or refers to anything beyond what would be considered “common sense.” In criminal cases, the prosecutor should explain the evidence so clearly that...
uttering
Under common law, uttering is when a person offers as genuine a forged instrument with the intent to defraud.
See: 18 U.S. Code § 472 - Uttering counterfeit obligations or securities
[Last updated in July of 2024 by...
vacate
In civil and criminal legal proceedings, vacate means to set aside or annul a previous judgment or order.
Vacate is also used in property law to indicate the surrender or leaving of the premises.
For...
vacatur
The term vacatur is Latin for "it is vacated." A vacatur is a rule or order that sets aside a judgment or annuls a proceeding .
See, e.g. Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms, 130 S.Ct. 2743 (2010).
See...
vagrancy
Vagrancy is defined as roaming from place to place without a permanent job, home, or material resources. Many criminal statutes targeting vagrancy have been declared invalid for being unconstitutionally vague, which is a violation of due...
Vega v. Tekoh (2022)
Vega v. Tekoh (2022) is the Supreme Court case that ruled a Miranda Rights violation does not provide a basis for relief under 42 U.S. Code § 1983.
Overview:The case involved the interrogation of Terence Tekoh by the...
vehicular homicide
Vehicular homicide (also called automobile homicide and vehicular manslaughter) is a criminal offense that occurs when a person's illegal or negligent operation of a motor vehicle leads to the death of another individual. Such laws vary by...
vehicular manslaughter
Vehicular manslaughter is a crime in which the defendant's unlawful or negligent operation of a motor vehicle results in the death of another person. Also called automobile homicide and vehicular homicide. Such laws vary by jurisdiction, but...