What is an 'ex post facto' law?
Explanation
The prohibition of ex post facto laws is a fundamental principle of justice in rule-of-law systems, ensuring that individuals can only be punished for acts that were defined as illegal at the time they were performed. This prevents governments from retroactively targeting individuals or groups.
Other questions
What is the key distinction between the 'rule of law' and 'rule by law'?
Which of the following is NOT one of the five primary functions of courts in authoritarian rule-by-law regimes as identified by Tom Ginsburg and Tamir Moustafa?
According to Alexander Hamilton in Federalist no. 78, why is the judiciary considered the 'least dangerous' branch of government?
What is the mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices in the United Kingdom?
In China's judicial system, what is the term limit for the chief justice of the national supreme court?
What is 'judicial implementation'?
What is the concept of 'nullification' as it relates to judicial decisions?
What is a key characteristic of a common law system?
In a civil law system, what is the role of a judge in the court process?
Which of the following legal systems is based on long-standing traditions in a particular community, which are often unwritten?
Which of the five general purposes of criminal punishment involves a financial penalty to compensate the victim of a crime?
In the United States, what is the punishment range for a Class A misdemeanor?
What is the standard of proof required for the government to secure a conviction in a criminal case in the United States?
A Library of Congress report found that how many countries require a procedure similar to the US Miranda rights upon arrest?
What is an arraignment in the US legal system?
What is the function of a grand jury in the United States?
According to the text, as of August 2021, how many US states had the death penalty?
What did a 1990 US government report find regarding the influence of the victim's race in death penalty cases?
What is the primary distinction between civil law and criminal law?
What is 'procedural due process'?
The US Supreme Court has held that procedural due process requires a minimum of three things. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
In the US federal court system, how many district courts are organized into 12 circuits or regions?
What is the primary purpose of an appeal in the United States legal system?
What does the US Constitution's prohibition against 'double jeopardy' prevent?
What is 'judicial review'?
As of 2014, how many acts of Congress had the US Supreme Court held to be unconstitutional throughout its history?
What defines a system of 'parliamentary sovereignty'?
What is the hybrid judicial selection system known as the Missouri Plan or a retention system?
What does a court need to have in order to take action on a specific case?
What is the primary characteristic of the trial process in a common law system like the United States?
In a rule-of-law system, who is ultimately responsible for implementing and enforcing the judgments of the courts?
What is the legal concept of 'standing'?
In the United Kingdom's justice system, what additional procedural warnings must a custody officer provide to an arrested individual that are not explicitly required in the United States?
What is 'substantive due process'?
During which stage of a US trial are potential jurors questioned to see if they have any biases?
What happens in the rare instance of a 'reverse and render' decision by an appellate court?
How does the Supreme Court of the United States primarily select the cases it will hear?
What is the primary difference between how the US and France conduct constitutional review of legislation?
What is the primary role of a judge in an adversarial legal system?
Which country is presented as an example of a hybrid legal system that combines common law and civil law due to its history as a French territory?
According to the text, what is a key criticism of the direct election of judges?
What is the punishment for a capital or class A felony in the United States?
What is the maximum sentence a juvenile can receive in the United States, even in states that use the death penalty?
In the context of a jury trial, what is a 'verdict'?
How many federal prisoners were executed between the 2003 and 2020?
What is the burden of proof for the complaining party in a civil law case?
How did the legislative branch counter the Supreme Court's initial decision that a federal income tax was unconstitutional?
What is 'recidivism'?
According to the text, the legal system in Saudi Arabia is based on sharia law, which is derived from which religious text?