The defense that conduct constituting a criminal offense is justified if an aggressor unjustifiably threatens the defendant’s place of abode or premises and the defendant engages in conduct that is (1) harmful to the aggressor, (2) sufficient to protect that place of abode or premises, and (3) reasonable in relation to the harm threatened. — […]
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pax regis (paks ree-jis), n. [Latin “the king’s peace”] Hist. 1. The government’s guarantee of peace and security of life and property to all within the law’s protection. 2. VERGE(1).
major federal action. Environmental law. An undertaking by a federal agency, or one that must be approved by a federal agency, that may have a significant impact on the environment, such as constructing an aqueduct or dam, constructing a highway through wetlands, or adopting certain agency regulations. • Under the National Environmental Policy Act, a
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restraining order. 1. A court order prohibiting family violence; esp., an order restricting a person from harassing, threatening, and sometimes merely contacting or approaching another specified person. • This type of order is issued most commonly in cases of domestic violence. A court may grant an ex parte restraining order in a family-violence case if
witness tampering 干扰证人 在证人作证前或作证后恐吓、影响、骚扰证人或对证人进行报复或以报复相威胁的行为或情况。在美国，有一些州和联邦的法律(如1982年《被害人和证人保护法》〔Victim and Witness Protection Act〕)规定对干扰证人的行为可处以刑罚。
obscenity, n. 1. The characteristic or state of being morally abhorrent or socially taboo, esp. as a result of referring to or depicting sexual or excretory functions. [Cases: Constitutional Law 82(10), 90.4; Obscenity 1. C.J.S. Constitutional Law §§ 464, 546, 631, 635–637, 639, 644, 646–648; Obscenity§§ 1–8.] 2. Something (such as an expression or act)
statutory bar. Patents. A patent-law provision that denies patent protection to inventors who wait too long to apply. • This “loss of right” may occur when an inventor publishes an article about the work, sells it, offers it for sale, or makes public use of the invention. The inventor has one year after the disclosure
Insurance that remains in effect after a default in paying premiums, as long as the policy has cash value to pay premiums. • Many life-insurance policies provide this feature to protect against forfeiture of the policy if the insured falls behind in premium payments.
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An international-patent application that is filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in accordance with the Patent Cooperation Treaty. • Under the treaty, the PTO acts as a receiving office for international applications. The applicant may or may not be seeking patent protection in the U.S. [Cases: Patents 97. C.J.S. Patents §§ 135–138, 145,
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Due Process Clause. The constitutional provision that prohibits the government from unfairly or arbitrarily depriving a person of life, liberty, or property. • There are two Due Process Clauses in the U.S. Constitution, one in the 5th Amendment applying to the federal government, and one in the 14th Amendment applying to the states (although the
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