International humanitarian law (law of war) is a field of international law regulating armed conflict between states and, more recently, between states and informal groups and individuals. This field of international law is one of the oldest...
human rights
invidious discrimination
Invidious discrimination is a legal term used to describe the act of treating a class of persons unequally in a manner that is malicious, hostile, or damaging. It refers to discrimination that is motivated by animus or ill will towards a...
jail
A jail is an institution used to confine people awaiting trial and those sentenced for low level crimes, like misdemeanors. Jails are between a police station lockup and a prison in terms of incarceration. Jails exist at the federal, state,...
joint criminal enterprise
Joint criminal enterprise (JCE) refers to mode of liability used in international war crimes tribunals that extends criminal liability to willing members of criminal groups. Specifically, it allows courts to try defendants who knowingly and...
LGBT
LGBT or GLBT is an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Gay is used to describe persons, specifically men, who are romantically or sexually attracted to persons of the same sex. Lesbian is a preferred term for women who are...
Matthew Shepard Act
The Matthew Shepard Act, 18 U.S.C. § 249, also known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, was enacted to expand previous hate crime legislation and to provide more funding and resources to investigate and...
mutual aid society
A mutual aid society is a community-based network that connects people in need with resources. Individuals volunteer and act cooperatively and in solidarity with each other. Mutual aid societies do not operate as businesses, as they are...
necessities
Necessities, or necessaries, are goods and services essential to a person’s life. Necessities may be more than bare necessities to survive depending on the individual’s circumstances, but generally include food, medicine, clothing, shelter,...
piracy (maritime)
Piracy (within the context of maritime law) is when non-state actors commit war-like acts against ships, such as hijacking a ship, taking hostages, etc. In the United States, piracy is governed by admiralty law. Piracy is prohibited by both...
Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992)
Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey is the Supreme Court case that had reaffirmed the decision of Roe v. Wade (1973) prohibiting states from disallowing abortion prior to viability. However, at the time, the Court...