An attorney-at-law is a professional authorized to practice law in a specific jurisdiction, engaging in both civil and criminal legal activities on behalf of clients.
A complaint is the initial pleading by the plaintiff in a civil action that sets out the facts and the basis of the claim. It serves to give notice to the adversary of the nature and basis of the plaintiff's assertions. In criminal law, a complaint is the preliminary charge made by one person against another, though formal proceedings cannot commence without an indictment or information.
A crime is an act that the government has determined to be injurious to the public and which can therefore be prosecuted in a criminal proceeding. Crimes encompass felonies and misdemeanors.
Criminal liability pertains to the culpability for an offense that constitutes a criminal act, causing harm to the government or society. Criminal acts are prosecuted by the state, and insurance generally does not cover criminal liability as it could incentivize unlawful behavior.
Duress refers to a situation where one party is compelled to act contrary to their free will due to improper threats, violence, or other forms of coercion. It can serve as a defense in cases of crime, breach of contract, or tort.
Ex post facto is a Latin term meaning 'after the fact.' In legal contexts, it refers specifically to laws that make an act punishable as a crime retroactively, where the act was not considered a crime at the time it was committed. Such laws are prohibited by the U.S. Constitution.
Habeas corpus is a legal procedure used to determine the legality of an individual's detention or imprisonment. It serves as a critical protection against wrongful detention.
Inchoate refers to something that is not yet completed or fully developed. In the context of law, particularly criminal law, inchoate offenses are crimes where some steps have been taken towards commission, but the crime has not been successfully completed.
In law, a mistake refers to an act or omission arising from ignorance or misconception which may justify rescission of a contract or exoneration of a defendant from tort or criminal liability depending on its nature or the surrounding circumstances.
A mistake of law refers to a misunderstanding or ignorance of the legal consequences of one's actions, even if one is aware of the facts and substance of those actions.
Originally known as an organized conspiracy to commit extortion, racketeering today includes various punishable offenses legislated by Congress to eradicate organized crime, offering enhanced sanctions and new remedies for prosecuting illegal activities of those involved in organized crime.
