Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: dispensary
Term: Dunaway Hearing
Definition: A Dunaway hearing is a legal proceeding to determine if evidence was obtained illegally from an accused person. This happens when a search is conducted without probable cause, which violates the Fourth Amendment. The hearing is named after the Dunaway v. New York case, which established the right to such a hearing. The purpose of the hearing is to protect the rights of the accused and ensure that evidence is obtained legally.
Term: Dungeon
Definition: A dungeon is a dark, underground prison. It can also refer to the bottom part of a fortress or tower that was often used as a prison. In either case, it is a place where people are kept against their will, often in harsh conditions. Dungeons were commonly used in the past, but are now considered inhumane and are no longer used as prisons.
Term: Dunnage
Definition: Dunnage refers to anything, such as pieces of wood, that is placed underneath or between cargo on a ship to prevent it from getting wet or damaged. This is important because cargo can be easily damaged by water leaking into the hold of a ship. Dunnage helps to protect the cargo and ensure that it arrives at its destination in good condition.
A Dunaway hearing is a legal proceeding to determine whether evidence has been obtained from an accused person in violation of their Fourth Amendment rights. This can happen if the evidence was obtained through an illegal search or seizure, such as a search conducted without probable cause. The term comes from the 1979 U.S. Supreme Court case Dunaway v. New York.
For example, if the police enter someone's home without a warrant and find drugs, the defense may request a Dunaway hearing to argue that the evidence should be excluded from the trial because it was obtained illegally.
A dungeon is a dark, underground prison. In the past, dungeons were often located in the bottom part of a fortress or tower and used to hold prisoners. Today, the term is used more generally to refer to any dark and unpleasant prison.
For example, in a medieval castle, the dungeon might be a damp, cramped cell with no windows or light. In modern times, a dungeon might refer to a small, isolated cell in a prison where a prisoner is kept in solitary confinement.