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Meaning / Definition of

Cruel And Unusual Punishment

Categories: Legal,

Punishment that is extremely excessive in relation to the crime, shocking to ordinary sensibilities, or equivalent to torture. It is prohibited, but not defined, by the eighth[ ed]Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.The definition of cruel and unusual punishment changes over the years, as the courts respond to "evolving standards of decency." The U.S. supreme court has ruled that the death penalty, if it could be meted out by juries with wide discretion and little guidance or applied to insane or mentally retarded defendants, is cruel and unusual punishment. There is still much debate about whether certain methods of carrying out the death penalty, including lethal injection, violate the eighth[ ed]Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

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Definition / Meaning of

Disclosure

Categories: Estate Planning, Real Estate, Patent, Compliance and Governance, Legal, ,

A disclosure document explains how a financial product or offering works. It also details the terms to which you must agree in order to buy it or use it, and, in some cases, the risks you assume in making such a purchase.For example, publicly traded companies must provide all available information that might influence your decision to invest in the stocks or bonds they issue. mutual fund companies are required to disclose the risks and costs associated with buying shares in the fund. Government regulatory agencies, such as the securities and exchange commission (SEC), self-regulating organizations, state securities regulators, and NASD require such disclosures.Similarly, federal and local governments require lenders to explain the costs of credit, and banks to explain the costs of opening and maintaining an account.Despite the consumer benefits, disclosure information isn't always easily accessible. It may be expressed in confusing language, printed in tiny type, or so extensive that consumers choose to ignore it.

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