Suicide is the intentional taking of one’s own life. This case from Maryland, explains that “suicide is the intentional taking of one’s own life, i.e., by his or her own hands.”
Suicide is no longer considered a crime in the...
criminal law
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,...
suspended sentence
In criminal law, a suspended sentence is an alternative to imprisonment where a judge may partially or entirely suspend the convicted individual's prison or jail sentence so long as they fulfill certain conditions. If the conditions are...
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...
taking of hostages
The taking of hostages, if perpetrated as part of an armed conflict, is a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The prosecutor must show the following elements:
The perpetrator seized, detained, or otherwise held...taking the Fifth
“Taking the Fifth" or “pleading the Fifth” are colloquial terms used to refer to an individual’s decision to invoke their right against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution. During questioning by...
tax evasion
tax evasion: an overview
Tax evasion is using illegal means to avoid paying taxes. Typically, tax evasion schemes involve an individual or corporation misrepresenting their income to the Internal Revenue Service. Misrepresentation may take the form...
temporary insanity
In a criminal trial, temporary insanity is a defense that can be raised to assert that, at the time of the commission of the offense, the defendant, as a result of severe mental disease or defect, was unable to appreciate the nature or...
temporary restraining order (TRO)
Temporary restraining orders (TROs) are a type of short-term injunction issued to prevent a party from taking a certain action until the court is able to issue a more enduring order, such as a preliminary injunction. TROs are a type of...
Terry stop / stop and frisk
A Terry stop is another name for stop and frisk; the name was generated from the U.S Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio. When a police officer has a reasonable suspicion that an individual is armed, engaged in, or about to be engaged in criminal conduct...