Full faith and credit is the requirement, derived from Article IV, Section I of the Constitution, that state courts respect the laws and judgments of courts from other states. This clause attempts to prevent conflict among states and ensure...
multi-jurisdictional law
governing law
Governing law is a contractual provision (also known as a choice of law provision) that determines which law shall apply in the event of a dispute. Such a clause is generally honored by the courts which do not interfere with the agreement...
high seas
High seas are international marine waters outside the jurisdiction of any country. Under the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, the high seas begin 200 nautical miles from the coastline. Part VII regulates permissible and...
home rule
Home rule is a provision of the state constitution or similar legislation granting a local municipality a certain amount of autonomy to allocate powers between the state and the local government. If it is accepted by the local government,...
incorporation doctrine
Overview
The incorporation doctrine is a constitutional doctrine through which parts of the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution (known as the Bill of Rights) are made applicable to the states through the Due Process clause...
letter of request
A letter of request is a document asking a foreign court to perform an judicial act, usually to seek assistance with taking evidence or serving process in a foreign jurisdiction. Letters of request are sent directly from the...
letters rogatory
“Letters rogatory” are the means by which a court in one country requests the judicial assistance of a court of a foreign country. Generally, the requests are to assist with service of process or the production of evidence located...
lex loci
Lex loci is a Latin term meaning the "law of [the] place". The principle that the law of the place giving rise to particular rights is the law that governs the rights of parties to a legal proceeding. This term is particularly relevant in the...
MDL
MDL stands for multidistrict litigation, a civil proceeding that temporarily transfers multiple civil actions with common questions of fact to one district for pretrial proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407.
[Last updated in July...
mutiliation
Mutilation is a war crime under international criminal law. In International Criminal Court, a prosecution for mutilation must show the following:
The victim was permanently disfigured, or else an organ or appendage was permanently...