BILL OF ATTAINDER • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Bill of attainder

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/bɪl əv ətˈeɪndər/ Listen

noun

Attainder n.

The act of attainting, or the state of being attainted; the extinction of the civil rights and capacities of a person, consequent upon sentence of death or outlawry; as, an act of attainder. Note: Formerly attainder was the inseparable consequence of a judicial or legislative sentence for treason or felony, and involved the forfeiture of all the real and personal property of the condemned person, and such "corruption of blood" that he could neither receive nor transmit by inheritance, nor could he sue or testify in any court, or claim any legal protection or rights. In England attainders are now abolished, and in the United States the Constitution provides that no bill of attainder shall be passed; and no attainder of treason (in consequence of a judicial sentence) shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted.

A stain or staining; state of being in dishonor or condemnation. (Obs.) "He lived from all attainder of suspect."

Bill of attainder, a bill brought into, or passed by, a legislative body, condemning a person to death or outlawry, and attainder, without judicial sentence.

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Etymology of 'Bill of attainder'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Bill of attainder" Quotes from Famous Books

... shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of credit; make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts; or ...

— Diary in America, Series Two • Frederick Marryat (AKA Captain Marryat)

... Restoration of the Finances Effects of Fenwick's Confession Resignation of Godolphin Feeling of the Whigs about Fenwick William examines Fenwick Disappearance of Goodman Parliamentary Proceedings touching Fenwick's Confession Bill for attainting Fenwick Debates of the Commons on the Bill of Attainder The Bill of Attainder carried up to the Lords Artifices of Monmouth Debates of the Lords on the Bill of Attainder Proceedings against Monmouth Position and Feelings of Shrewsbury The Bill of Attainder passed; ...

— The History of England from the Accession of James II. - Volume 4 (of 5) • Thomas Babington Macaulay

... Peers, without examining the prisoner, without trial or evidence, passed a Bill of Attainder against him and sent it down to the Commons . . . The obsequious Commons obeyed his (the King's) directions; and the King, having affixed the Royal assent to the Bill by commissioners, issued orders for the execution of Norfolk ...

— Innocents abroad • Mark Twain

... jeopardy for the same offense, or be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself; that the right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist except as a punishment for crime; that no bill of attainder or ex-post-facto law shall be passed; that no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the rights of the people to peaceably assemble and petition the Government for a redress of grievances; that no law shall be made respecting ...

— Messages and Papers of William McKinley V.2. • William McKinley

... Clarence, as it is set forth in the Parliamentary History (copied indeed from Habington's Life of Edward the Fourth) and by the editors of that history justly supposed to be taken from Stowe, who had seen the original bill of attainder. The crimes and conspiracy of Clarence are there particularly enumerated, and even his dealing with conjurers and necromancers, a charge however absurd, yet often made use of in that age. Eleanor Cobham, wife of Humphrey duke of Gloucester, had ...

— Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard the Third • Horace Walpole