amendment

Related to amendment: Fifth Amendment, Amendment 2

double jeopardy

A legal doctrine which holds that legal action cannot be taken twice against someone for the same offense. Yes, I know there's new evidence linking the chief financial officer to the embezzlement scheme, but he's already been tried for that. If we bring this new evidence against him now, the judge will toss it out as an instance of double jeopardy.
See also: double, jeopardy

lame duck

1. Someone or something that needs help. The company started as a lame duck that was saved by an innovative entrepreneur who decided to take some risks and go in a new direction.
2. An elected official serving their last term in office, usually so-called after a successor has been elected. The opposing party was angry at the president's intention to name a Supreme Court replacement while he was a lame duck.
See also: duck, lame

plead the Fifth (Amendment)

1. To refuse to testify against oneself in court, in accordance with the rights guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The alleged kingpin of the east coast drug cartel simply pled the Fifth after every question the prosecution put to him.
2. By extension, to refuse to answer a question or provide information, especially if doing so may incriminate or embarrass oneself. Just plead the Fifth if your mom asks where you've been all night! A: "So, I hear things got pretty messy at the bar last night." B: "Yeah, I'm going to have to plead the Fifth Amendment on that one!"
See also: fifth, plead

take the fifth (amendment)

1. To refuse to testify against oneself in court, in accordance with the right guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, part of the Bill of Rights. The defendant took the fifth after every question the prosecution put to him. There is speculation that he will take the fifth amendment if he is asked about his actions under oath.
2. By extension, to refuse to answer a question or provide information, especially if doing so may incriminate or embarrass oneself. Just take the fifth if your mom asks where you've been all night! A: "So, I hear things got pretty messy at the party last night." B: "Yeah, I'm going to have to take the fifth amendment on that one!"
See also: fifth, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

lame duck

 
1. Fig. someone who is in the last period of a term in an elective office and cannot run for reelection. You can't expect much from a lame duck. As a lame duck, there's not a lot I can do.
2. Fig. having to do with someone in the last period of a term in an elective office. (Used as an adjective; sometimes lame-duck.) You don't expect much from a lame-duck president. Lame-duck Congresses tend to do things they wouldn't dare do otherwise.
See also: duck, lame
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

lame duck

An elected officeholder whose term of office has not yet expired but who has failed to be re-elected and therefore cannot garner much political support for initiatives. For example, You can't expect a lame duck President to get much accomplished; he's only got a month left in office . This expression originated in the 1700s and then meant a stockbroker who did not meet his debts. It was transferred to officeholders in the 1860s. The Lame Duck Amendment, 20th to the U.S. Constitution, calls for Congress and each new President to take office in January instead of March (as before), thereby eliminating the lame-duck session of Congress.
See also: duck, lame
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

lame duck

a person or thing that is powerless or in need of help. informal
In the mid 18th century, lame duck was used in a stock-market context, with reference to a person or company that could not fulfil their financial obligations. Later, from the mid 19th century, it was used specifically with reference to US politicians in the final period of office, after the election of their successor.
1998 Spectator At some point in his second and final term, every president becomes a lame duck: as the man himself matters less, so does the office.
See also: duck, lame
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

lame duck

1. n. someone who is in the last period of a term in an elective office. You can’t expect much from a lame duck.
2. mod. having to do with someone in the last period of a term in an elective office. You don’t expect much from a lame duck president.
See also: duck, lame
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • clause
  • double jeopardy
  • fifth
  • jeopardy
  • idem
  • ne bis in idem
  • non bis in idem
  • prefer against
  • prefer charges against (one)
  • lawyer up
References in periodicals archive
The other reference questions likewise asked the Court which amendment procedure was proper for a given reform to the Senate, namely repealing the property qualifications for senators and abolishing the Senate altogether.
The theory and doctrine of unconstitutional constitutional amendment in Canada
7) Biennial Amendment 12-Addressed the Organizational Affiliates and their role.
ANA House of Delegates proposed bylaws amendments
And the acts required approval of the new "military district" constitutions by Congress, passage of the lingering 14th Amendment by the new Southern "governments," and cooperation by the Southern people in all these processes.
Andrew Johnson, unreconstructed: President Andrew Johnson steadfastly upheld the Constitution and the rule of law as he opposed those who sought to rule the defeated Confederate states with an iron fist
The amendments in Wisconsin, Virginia, South Dakota, South Carolina, and Idaho would either explicitly or implicitly ban civil unions and threaten benefits for domestic partners.
No wedding bells: why banning same-sex marriage spells disaster
"We felt the district had violated our First Amendment rights," says Claire Lueneburg (pictured at left with her co-editor), 18, a co-editor in chief of the Everett High School Kodak.
The role of the news media: imagine the United States without newspapers, TV news, and Internet access. What kind of country might we be living in?
However, despite these dramatic changes, a common thread tying the past with the present has been the importance of personal privacy within the Fourth Amendment. The Supreme Court's opinions indicate a sensitivity on its part to the difficult nature of police work and the great risks routinely confronting law enforcement.
Protecting personal privacy: drawing the line between people and containers
In a decision still denounced for its judicial activism, the Court struck down New York's law setting maximum working hours for bakery employees on the grounds that it violated the liberty of contract protected by the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause.
Unleash the judges: the libertarian case for judicial activism
First Amendment Schools initiative: www.firstamendmentschools.org
Brighter days for First Amendment education?
The newspaper attributed the supporters' lackadaisical assessments to the president's perceived foot-dragging on the marriage amendment.
Marriage counseling: after pressure from Religious Right allies, Bush touts Federal Marriage Amendment
A prisoner brought an action against a prison alleging deliberate indifference to his exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in violation of the Eighth Amendment. The district court denied the prison's motion to dismiss and the appeals court affirmed, finding that the prisoner stated a claim upon which relief could be granted.
Conditions of confinement
The legislative proposals introduced on the first private member's day of 293rd session were the Trade Organizations (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Amendments of Articles 1, 51, 59, 106, 175A, 198 and 218); the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Islamabad Pure Food Authority Bill, 2019; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Amendment of Articles 51 and 106); the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill, 2019; the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (Insertion of Article 253A).
Eight Private Members' bills introduced in Senate
Dewan Negara passed 12 bills involving the Trademarks Bill 2019, Trade Descriptions (Amendment) Bill 2019, Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2019, Youth Societies and Youth Development (Amendment) Bill 2019, and Peaceful Assembly (Amendment) Bill 2019.
Dewan Negara sitting adjourned sine die
ISLAMABAD -- Law minister Farogh Nasim has said Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has never asked for rolling back 18th constitutional amendment nor any discussion has been made in cabinet meeting for making any amendment in 18th amendment.
PM has never asked for rolling back 18th constitutional amendment: Farogh Nasim
ISLAMABAD -- aw minister Farogh Nasim has said Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has never asked for rolling back 18th constitutional amendment nor any discussion has been made in cabinet meeting for making any amendment in 18th amendment.
PM has never asked for rolling back 18th constitutional amendment: Farogh
ISLAMABAD:Law Minister Farogh Nasim has said Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has never asked for rolling back of 18th Amendment nor any discussion has been made in cabinet meeting for making any amendments in the proposed amendment."PM has never asked for rolling back 18th constitutional amendment nor it was ever discussed in cabinet meeting to make any amendment therein.
No plan to roll back 18th Amendment, says law minister