A verdict is the formal decision or judgment rendered by a court at the conclusion of a trial or legal proceeding. It represents the culmination of the entire legal process. Verdicts are reached by a judge or a jury, depending on the type of...
criminal law and procedure
warrantless
Warrantless means that government officers carry out a search or arrest without a warrant or any other legal authorization. The requirement of a warrant serves to protect individuals’ privacy interests against unreasonable governmental...
weight of evidence
Weight of evidence is the believability or persuasiveness of evidence in probative value, not the quantity or amount of evidence. Weight of evidence is not determined by mathematics, but depends on its effect in inducing belief. In State v....
wet reckless
Wet reckless is an informal term for a plea bargain reached where someone charged with a DUI receives a lesser charge usually for reckless driving. The charge is called “wet” because reckless charges do not include driving under the influence...
wiretapping
Wiretapping is the act of recording communications between parties, often without their consent. While wiretaps can be a powerful tool for authorities conducting criminal investigations, they are also legally at odds with the right to privacy...
witness
In legal proceedings, witnesses can serve as sources of evidence, offering firsthand accounts that can corroborate or refute claims made by parties involved. Their testimony can influence the outcome of a case by providing insights that might...
witness stand
The witness stand is the location in a courtroom where a witness sits or stands while giving testimony. This is usually a platform to the left and slightly below the judge's seat. A witness called to testify is said to "take the stand."...
year and a day
Definition
A period of time running from any date until the same date in the following year, e.g. from January 1 to January 1 of the following year. At common law, the statute of limitations for filing certain claims and prosecuting certain crimes....
year and a day rule
Definition
A bright-line, common law rule that a person cannot be convicted of homicide for a death that occurs more than a year and a day after his or her act(s) that allegedly caused it. The rule arose from the difficulty of determining cause of...
year and day
Definition
See year and a day.
Illustrative caselawSee, e.g. Rogers v. Tennessee, 532 U.S. 451 (2001).
See alsoYear and a day rule