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Preferred term

bills of attainder  

Definition

  • A legislative act that inflicts punishment without a judicial trial. Article I of the Constitution forbids federal and state legislatures to enact bills of attainder or ex post facto laws—laws that punish past actions or declare an action a crime after it has been committed. [Source: Student's Guide to the Supreme Court; Bills of Attainder]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/bills_of_attainder

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