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back-to-back life sentences :: legal definition


Back-to-back life sentences - n. slang for consecutive life terms imposed by a judge when there were two crimes committed by the defendant, both of which can result in punishment of a life term, such as two murders, or a murder and a rape involving aggravated assault. The purpose of making the sentences subsequent ("back-to-back") and not "concurrent" (served at the same time) is to lessen the chance of parole, since if parole were permissible after 25 years, the defendant would then begin the second "life" sentence and would wait another 25 years for a parole hearing.


Related Law Terms

attempt :: v. and n. to actually try to commit a crime and ha ... felt he tried but did not succeed.
contract :: 1) n. an agreement with specific terms between two ... n oral contract unilateral contract
crime of passion :: n. a defendant's excuse for committing a crime due ... dant. See also: manslaughter murder
cumulative sentence :: n. when a criminal defendant has been found guilty ... in a five-year term in the example.
felony :: n. 1) a crime sufficiently serious to be punishabl ... ion. See also: misdemeanor sentence
leasehold :: n. the real estate which is the subject of a lease ... sehold. See also: condominium lease
parole :: n. 1) the release of a convicted criminal defendan ... sed he will not take up arms again.
sentence :: 1) n. the punishment given to a person convicted o ... ence restitution suspended sentence
special circumstances :: n. in criminal cases, particularly homicides, acti ... urant. See also: capital punishment
successive sentences :: n. in criminal law, the imposition of the penalty ... uld be 15 years. See also: sentence
suspended sentence :: n. in criminal law, a penalty applied by a judge t ... may be enforced. See also: sentence
time served :: n. the period a criminal defendant has been in jai ... o the defendant. See also: sentence

Popular Law Searches

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forthwith definition legal :: adv. a term found in contracts, court orders and s ... mediacy, with no excuses for delay.
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Other Law Terms - B

Bachelor of Laws :: n. the degree in law from a law school, abbreviate ... troactively. See also: Juris Doctor
back-to-back life sentences :: n. slang for consecutive life terms imposed by a j ... ther 25 years for a parole hearing.
bad debt :: n. an uncollectible debt. The problem is to determ ... ust no income on which to be taxed.
bad faith :: 1) n. intentional dishonest act by not fulfilling ... ean hands doctrine fraud good faith
bail :: 1) n. the money or bond put up to secure the relea ... bond bail bondsman own recognizance
bail bond :: n. a bond provided by an insurance company through ... urned. See also: bail bail bondsman
bail bondsman :: n. a professional agent for an insurance company w ... t to jail. See also: bail bail bond
bailee :: n. a person, also called a custodian, with whom so ... he goods. See also: bailment bailor
bailiff :: n. 1) a court official, usually a deputy sheriff, ... isdictional territory of a bailiff.
bailment :: n. 1) the act of placing property in the custody a ... "bailment." See also: bailee bailor
bailor :: n. a person who leaves goods in the custody of ano ... is found. See also: bailee bailment
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balance due :: n. the amount of a debt still owed on an account o ... cipal due without further interest.
balance sheet :: n. the statement of the assets and the liabilities ... ctivity and health of the business.
bank :: n. 1) an officially chartered institution empowere ... erred to as "in bank" or "en banc."
bankruptcy :: n. a federal system of statutes and courts which p ... y proceedings trustee in bankruptcy
bankruptcy court :: n. the specialized federal court in which bankrupt ... : bankruptcy bankruptcy proceedings
bankruptcy proceedings :: n. the bankruptcy procedure is: a) filing a petiti ... ankruptcy court claim in bankruptcy
bar :: 1) n. collectively all attorneys, as "the bar," wh ... a room, building, or real property.
bar association :: n. an organization of lawyers. There are two types ... oluntary organization of attorneys.