Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

burglary

(Encyclopedia)burglary, at common law, the breaking and entering of a dwelling house of another at night with the intent to commit a felony, whether the intent is carried out or not. This definition has been genera...

evidence

(Encyclopedia)evidence, in law, material submitted to a judge or a judicial body to resolve disputed questions of fact. The rules discussed in this article were developed in England for use in jury trials. Today, t...

indictment

(Encyclopedia)indictment ĭndītˈmənt [key], in criminal law, formal written accusation naming specific persons and crimes. Persons suspected of crime may be rendered liable to trial by indictment, by presentment...

Star Chamber

(Encyclopedia)Star Chamber, ancient meeting place of the king of England's councilors in the palace of Westminster in London, so called because of stars painted on the ceiling. The court of the Star Chamber develop...

Garofalo, Raffaele

(Encyclopedia)Garofalo, Raffaele gärôˈfälō [key], 1851–1934, Italian jurist and criminologist. He studied at the Univ. of Naples, where he later taught law and criminal procedure. Second only to Enrico Ferr...

Mapp v. Ohio

(Encyclopedia)Mapp v. Ohio, case decided in 1961 by the U.S. Supreme Court. Dollree Mapp was convicted in a state court of possessing pornographic material in violation of Ohio law. Her conviction was obtained on t...

victims' rights

(Encyclopedia)victims' rights, rights of victims in the prosecution of the crimes commited against them. Nearly all U.S. states have enacted some victims rights legislation; federal legislation also has been passed...

Field, Stephen Johnson

(Encyclopedia)Field, Stephen Johnson, 1816–99, American jurist, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1863–97), b. Haddam, Conn. After practicing law for several years in New York City with his brother D...

consent

(Encyclopedia)consent, in law, active acquiescence or silent compliance by a person legally capable of consenting (see age of consent). It may be evidenced by words or acts or by silence when silence implies concur...

executive privilege

(Encyclopedia)executive privilege, exemption of the executive branch of government, or its officers, from having to give evidence, specifically, in U.S. law, the exemption of the president from disclosing informati...