Attainder

Attainder
Attainder At*tain"der, n. [OF. ataindre, ateindre, to accuse, convict. Attainder is often erroneously referred to F. teindre tie stain. See {Attaint}, {Attain}.] 1. 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. --Abbott. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

2. A stain or staining; state of being in dishonor or condemnation. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

He lived from all attainder of suspect. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • attainder — at·tain·der /ə tān dər/ n [Anglo French atteinder, from ateindre to convict, sentence, literally, to reach, attain, ultimately from Latin attingere to reach, from ad to + tangere to touch]: the termination of the civil rights of a person upon a… …   Law dictionary

  • Attainder — • An Act of Parliament for putting a man to death or for otherwise punishing him without trial in the usual form Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Attainder     Attainder      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • attainder — [ə tān′dər] n. [ME atteindre < Anglo Fr atteinder, inf. used as n. < OFr ataindre (see ATTAIN); sense infl. by ME atteinten, ATTAINT] 1. forfeiture of property and loss of civil rights of a person sentenced to death or outlawed: see BILL OF …   English World dictionary

  • attainder — (n.) extinction of rights of a person sentenced to death or outlaw, mid 15c., from noun use of O.Fr. ataindre to touch upon, strike, hit, seize, accuse, condemn (see ATTAIN (Cf. attain)). For use of French infinitives as nouns, especially in… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Attainder — In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical stain or corruption of blood which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime (felony or treason). It entails losing not only one s property and hereditary titles,… …   Wikipedia

  • attainder — /euh tayn deuhr/, n. 1. the legal consequence of judgment of death or outlawry for treason or felony, involving the loss of all civil rights. 2. Obs. dishonor. [1425 75; late ME, n. use of AF attaindre to convict, OF ataindre to convict, ATTAIN]… …   Universalium

  • attainder — /ateyndar/ At common law, that extinction of civil rights and capacities which took place whenever a person who had committed treason or felony received sentence of death for his crime. The effect of attainder upon such felon was, in general… …   Black's law dictionary

  • attainder — /ateyndar/ At common law, that extinction of civil rights and capacities which took place whenever a person who had committed treason or felony received sentence of death for his crime. The effect of attainder upon such felon was, in general… …   Black's law dictionary

  • attainder — [ə teɪndə] noun historical the forfeiture of land and civil rights suffered as a consequence of a sentence of death for treason or felony. Phrases act (or bill) of attainder an item of legislation inflicting attainder without judicial process.… …   English new terms dictionary

  • attainder — The state into which the offender was placed by operation of law when sentence was pronounced against him for a capital offense, by the ancient common law. The three principal incidents of attainder were forfeiture of property, corruption of… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

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