Slavery is the practice of forced labor and restricted liberty. It is also a regime where one class of people - the slave owners - could force another - the slaves - to work and limit their liberty. Throughout history, some forms of slavery...
individual rights
suspect
A suspect is a person who is believed to have committed a crime, but has not yet been found guilty. If a suspect received an arrest warrant, they might then be identified as a defendant; and after the suspect was convicted or found guilty,...
suspect classification
Suspect classification refers to a class of individuals that have been historically subject to discrimination.
OverviewUnder Equal Protection, when a statute discriminates against an individual based on a suspect classification, that statute...
tainted evidence
In a criminal trial, tainted evidence, also referred to as evidence of taint, is evidence that was acquired by illegal means. For example, if authorities gather evidence using a wiretap without a proper warrant, the evidence will be deemed...
trafficking
Trafficking is the transporting of or transacting in illegal goods or people. See drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and human trafficking.
[Last updated in December of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]
turn state's evidence
Turn state’s evidence (also known as “turn King’s evidence”) or to "flip” means the defendant chose to reveal valuable evidence to the prosecutor, in exchange for a reduction of the charge or the dismissal of some charges. When the defendant...
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...
voter bill of rights
Voter bills of rights are collections of voting rights and protections adopted in many states. While they vary greatly by state, they often include basic information on voting eligibility, where a person can vote, privacy, right to assistance...
Voting Rights Act
Overview
The Voting Rights Act (VRA), codified at 42 U.S.C. §§ 1973 to 1973aa-6, is an important federal civil rights law that protects minorities from discriminatory voting practices. Initially, the VRA only protected racial minorities, but in...
warrantless
Warrantless means that government officers carry out a search or arrest without a warrant or any other legal authorization. The requirement of a warrant serves to protect individuals’ privacy interests against unreasonable governmental...