A defense is an act of protecting one’s own interests. In common law, a defendant may use defenses to prevent or limit liability. A defense can either allege a failure to state a claim, or affirm the existence of a claim and present...
human rights
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress intended to define and protect the institution of marriage. This law specifically defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman which...
disappearance
"Enforced disappearance of persons" is a crime against humanity punishable under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The ICC Elements of Crimes defines the crime as follows:
The perpetrator arrested, detained, or...doctrine of discovery
The doctrine of discovery refers to a principle in public international law under which, when a nation “discovers” land, it directly acquires rights on that land. This doctrine arose when the European nations discovered non-European lands,...
electronic surveillance
Overview
Electronic surveillance is the acquisition of information by an electronic, mechanical, or other surveillance device of the contents of any wire or electronic communication, under circumstances in which a party to the communication...
emancipation
Emancipation is an act by which a person who was once under the authority of another is set free from that authority. In modern times, this is generally referencing a minor. Historically, this would also include slaves.
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enemy combatant
An enemy combatant can be defined as a person who, in times of armed conflict, engages in hostilities for the other side.
The term enemy combatant is a concept creating an extraordinary legal status with specific rules that...
enforced sterilization
Enforced sterilization, also known as compulsory sterilization, refers to forcibly sterilizing an ethnic group as part of a systematic attack against that ethnic group. Sterilization, which usually involves surgical procedures, eliminates a...
ethnic persecution
Ethnic persecution is a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC Elements of Crimes specifies that an ethnic persecution prosecution must show:
Severe deprivation of...
euthanasia
As described in the concurring opinion of Myers v. Schneiderman, euthanasia refers to bringing about the death of a patient to prevent additional suffering. The concurring opinion in Meyers also distinguished euthanasia from physician-...