| Powers of Attorney |
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| A power of attorney is a legal document in which a person (called the principal) delegates legal authority to another person (called the agent). The power of attorney gives the agent authority to make decisions for the principal in financial, property, and other legal matters. Most states specify the proper legal form for a power of attorney, and some legislatures have approved statutory forms for powers of attorney. Generally the principal's signature on a power of attorney form must be witnessed by a Notary Public.
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| The Office of the Independent Counsel |
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| Following the Watergate scandal, Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (Ethics Act). The law created a Special Prosecutor (the name was later changed to Independent Counsel) to investigate possible crimes by high government officials. The Independent Counsel provision of the Ethics Act expired, and new Independent Counsel legislation that was passed in 1994 expired in 1999 and was not renewed. The Attorney General of the United States now has sole discretion to appoint an outside prosecutor. More... |
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| Traffic Law Enforcement with Electronics |
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| Electronic traffic law enforcement involves the use of technology to enforce traffic laws. Police officers have been using conventional radar guns for years to detect speeding drivers. More recently, laser speed guns have been developed that more accurately clock the speed of moving vehicles. Red light cameras detect vehicles that run red lights at intersections. More... |
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| State Court System Overview |
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| Each of the 50 states has its own court system. Each state system has three levels: the lowest level (generally called trial court), an appellate level (generally called a court of appeal), and the highest level (generally called a supreme court). More... |
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| Settlement Conferences in Federal Courts of Appeals |
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| There are 13 judicial circuits, and each circuit has a court of appeals. The federal courts of appeals are intermediate appellate courts. They hear appeals from federal district courts, which are trial level courts. In response to the ever-increasing volume of cases, some federal courts of appeals have adopted settlement programs in an effort to reduce the backlog of cases and accelerate the appeal process. More... |
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