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Simple English definitions for legal terms
doctrine of specialty
Read a random definition: motion for a protective order
A quick definition of doctrine of specialty:
The Doctrine of Specialty is a rule in international law that says when someone is sent to another country to be tried for a crime, they can only be tried for the specific crime they were extradited for and not any other crimes they may have committed before they were sent. This rule is usually included in extradition treaties between countries. Extradition is when a person who is accused of a crime is sent from one country to another to face trial. This can happen between countries or between states within a country.
A more thorough explanation:
The Doctrine of Specialty is a principle in international law that is included in most extradition treaties. It states that a person who is extradited to a country to stand trial for certain criminal offenses may only be tried for those offenses and not for any other pre-extradition offenses.
For example, if a person is extradited from the United States to Canada to stand trial for drug trafficking, they can only be tried for that specific offense. They cannot be tried for any other crimes they may have committed before they were extradited.
This principle is important because it protects individuals from being unfairly prosecuted for crimes they did not agree to be extradited for. It also ensures that countries do not abuse the extradition process to prosecute individuals for unrelated offenses.