local governmental law

Civil union partners are partners who are in a marriage-like legal relationship. If a couple is in a civil union, they receive inheritance rights, employment benefits, property rights, parental rights, etc.

Comity refers to courts of one state or jurisdiction respecting the laws and judicial decisions of other jurisdictions – whether state, federal or international – not as a matter of obligation but out of deference and mutual respect. 

• lawsuits-court

The principle of complementarity is the basis of the relationship between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and national courts in relation to the application of international criminal law. 

An amendment is a formal revision or addition to the US Constitution. As per Article V of the Constitution, there are several methods to propose an amendment. Once an amendment is proposed, it requires the approval of ¾ of the states to be ratified. 

Controlling law refers to the body of law a court will apply in resolving a dispute. Because states have widely different substantive laws, identifying which law is controlling can determine the outcome of a case.

A county attorney is a lawyer who represents a county or a city in civil matters and violations of county ordinances. County attorneys are sometimes referred to as district attorneys, state attorneys, and prosecutors, because they handle the same cases.

Crime against nature is an umbrella term encompassing sexual offenses that are deemed “unnatural” or "contrary to the order of nature."  Some jurisdictions have codified laws against the individual offenses.

Dillon’s rule is a fundamental tenet of American municipal law. The rule originates from an opinion of Judge John F. Dillon in City of Clinton v. Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad (1868).

Disturbance (or breach) of the peace is a generic term encompassing a variety of conduct that violates public order, disturbs the public, or incites violence, including any violation of any law enacted to preserve peace and good order. It is a criminal offense recognized under common law and various statutes.

An emergency protective order is a court order temporarily prohibiting a party from doing something to the opposing party. Usually, an emergency protective order is granted on an expedited basis without giving notice to the other party.