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Simple English definitions for legal terms
attaint
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A quick definition of attaint:
Term: ATTAINT
Definition: Attaint means that someone's reputation has been damaged or they have been accused of a crime. In the past, there was a legal process called attaint where a group of people would investigate if a jury had given a false verdict. If they found that the verdict was false, the decision based on that verdict would be overturned. This process is no longer used in England since 1826.
A more thorough explanation:
attaint (uh-TEYNT), adj. - having a damaged or ruined reputation; being under attainder for a crime.
attaint, n. - a historical writ used to investigate whether a 12-member jury gave a false verdict. If the writ was found to be true by a 24-member jury, the judgment based on the verdict was overturned. This writ was abolished in England in 1826.
Example 1: The politician's reputation was attainted after he was caught accepting bribes.
Example 2: The attainted criminal was not allowed to hold public office or vote.
Example 3: In medieval England, the writ of attaint was used to ensure that justice was served and that false verdicts were not accepted.
These examples illustrate how the term "attaint" is used to describe a damaged reputation or being under attainder for a crime. The historical example shows how the writ of attaint was used to investigate false verdicts and ensure justice was served.