The death penalty is the state-sanctioned punishment of executing an individual for a specific crime. Congress, as well as any state legislature, may prescribe the death penalty, also known as capital punishment, for crimes considered capital...
individual rights
death row
Death row is defined as the section of a prison that holds prisoners who have been sentenced to death and are awaiting execution.
Overview:An extended stay on death row does not violate the Eighth Amendment, although the...
defamation
Defamation is a statement that injures a third party's reputation. The tort of defamation includes both libel (written statements) and slander (spoken statements). State common law and statutory law governs defamation actions, and each state...
defense
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...
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...
dependent care plan
Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP) (better known as a dependent care flexible spending account (DPFSA)) is a type of flexible savings account (FSA) that can be used by individuals with dependents to reduce taxable income. A person with...
directive to physicians
A directive to physicians and family (also called living wills, health care directives, and advance directives) are legal mechanisms where an individual can choose to prevent medical personnel from using life sustaining treatments for life-...
disability benefits
Overview:
Disability benefits refers to money available from the government for people with disabilities. These benefits are available under Title II of the Social Security Act as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI...
disability law
Disability law refers to laws related to individuals with disabilities; specifically, these laws protect disabled individuals from certain kinds of discrimination. Disability laws are particularly concerned with employment, housing, education...
disturbance of the peace
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...