Background facts are facts in a case that help an observer understand the origins of a specific legal issue or dispute. Background facts are not necessary to answer any question of law, it simply provides essential context. Additionally,...
courts and procedure
badgering the witness
Badgering the witness is an objection that counsel can make during a cross-examination of a witness where opposing counsel becomes hostile or asks argumentative questions. If an attorney begins repeatedly asking a witness about the same thing...
bail
Bail is the money a defendant pays as a guarantee that they will show up in court at a later date. A failure to return triggers the bond obligation and allows the court to keep any money given as security. According to the American Bar...
bail bond
Bail bond is an agreement to pay the court if a criminal defendant fails to meet the terms of conditional release from custody. Many bail bonds are signed by the defendant and the defendant's sureties (e.g., a bondsman). Some bail bonds are...
bail bondsman
A bondsman is a person who guarantees a bond. Bondsmen are most frequently seen in the context of bail bondsman for criminal defendants.
A bail bondsman is a person who provides bail bonds for people charged with crimes and...
bailiff
Bailiff is a legal officer who has authority to act a custodian. Some common usages of the term “bailiff” in a legal sense include:
Bailiff is someone entrusted with the care and protection, guardianship, or jurisdiction of a person,...Baker v. Carr (1962)
Baker v. Carr (1962) is the U.S. Supreme Court case that held that federal courts could hear cases alleging that a state’s drawing of electoral boundaries, i.e. redistricting, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment...
balancing test
A “balancing test” is defined as a subjective test with which a court weighs competing interests. For instance, a court would weigh the interest between an inmate's liberty interest and the government's interest in public safety, to decide...
bankruptcy
Overview:
Bankruptcy law provides for the reduction or elimination of certain debts, and can provide a timeline for the repayment of nondischargeable debts over time. It also permits individuals and organizations to repay secured debt....
bankruptcy court
There are 94 federal judicial districts. Each of these districts handle bankruptcy matters. Bankruptcy courts refer to the courts in each district that specifically hear bankruptcy cases. In almost every district, bankruptcy courts hear...