bicameral legislature 两院制立法机关 由内部两院而非一院组成的立法机关。「bicameral」和「unicameral」源于拉丁语「camera」，意指院〔chamber〕。在两院制下，所有议案必须经两院通过才能成为法律。美国国会和绝大多数州立法机关皆为两院，只有内布拉斯加州〔Nebraska〕实行一院制。目前，美国国会两院制的设计是建国者在1787年费城制宪会议〔Philadelphia Convention〕大妥协〔Great Compromise〕(亦称康涅狄格妥协〔Connecticut Compromise〕)的结果，它要求参议院〔Senate〕中各州代表相等，而众议院〔House of Representatives〕代表则依各州人口按比例分配。(→bicameral system)
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A will that is executed according to formalities provided in an international treaty or convention, and that will be valid although it may be written in a foreign language by a testator domiciled in another country. [Cases: Wills 238–246. C.J.S. Wills §§ 515–523.]
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European Court of Human Rights 欧洲人权法院 欧洲理事会〔Council of Europe〕的司法机构，创建于1950年，位于斯特拉斯堡〔Strasbourg〕。1950年的《欧洲人权公约》〔Convention on Human Rights，1950〕，1953年生效，但并不必然构成成员国的国内法的一部分，也并不强迫成员国接受其管辖权。
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primary election 〈美〉初选；预选 指政党推选公职候选人〔candidates for office〕或党代表大会代表〔delegates to a party convention〕的初步选举，依据是否有区分党派的必要，可将初选分为开门初选〔open primary〕和闭门初选〔closed primary〕两类。 (→closed primary; election)
hypothèque (ee-poh-tek), n. French law. Hypothecation; the right vested in a creditor by the assignment to the creditor of real estate as security for a debt, whether or not accompanied by possession. • Hypothèque may be légale, as the charge that the state has over the lands of its accountants, or that a married woman
business-method exception. Intellectual property. The traditional doctrine that business methods are not protected by intellectual-property laws. • Early caselaw established that “pure methods of doing business” were unpatentable. But in 1998, the Federal Circuit held in State St. Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Fin. Group (149 F.3d 1368) that business methods are not per
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conclude, vb. 1. To ratify or formalize (a treaty, convention, or contract) (it can be difficult to amend a contract that the parties have already concluded). 2. To bind; estop (the admissions concluded the party as a matter of law). 3. Scots law. To sign (a contract, letter, etc.) for the sale of real property.
benefit of an earlier filing date. Patents & trademarks. For a patent or trademark applicant, the advantage of being assigned the filing date of a related, earlier-filed application. • Under 35 USCA § 119: (1) a U.S. patent application is given the filing date of an earlier foreign application filed in accordance with the Paris
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Berne Additional Protocol. Copyright. A 1914 amendment to the Berne Convention providing for reprisals against a foreign national who publishes simultaneously in both a member nation and the author’s own nonmember and nonreciprocating country. • The reprisal was aimed at the United States, which until 1989 refused to join the Berne Convention but whose citizens
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program. Parliamentary law. 1. An agenda for a meeting or a convention, listing the order of business and possibly including educational or social events. See AGENDA; business meeting under MEETING. 2. A speech or other presentation within a meeting offered for the assembly’s information or for the members’ education or entertainment, but not for their