Law

Taft–Hartley Act (Labor Management Relations Act of 1947) Taft–Hartley Act U.S. federal law that amended the NLRA in 1947, restricting certain union practices, authorizing presidential intervention in key strikes, and allowing state right-to-work laws.

Tax evasion: illegal underreporting and concealment of taxable income Tax evasion Tax evasion is the illegal practice of hiding income or information to reduce tax liability. This article explains methods, actors, detection, history, consequences and how it diff…

Tax Reform Act of 1986 Major bipartisan overhaul of the U.S. income tax system enacted in 1986 that simplified rates, broadened the tax base, reduced shelters and lowered top marginal tax rates.

Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 A 2010 U.S. law enacted in December 2010 that extended tax cuts, provided temporary payroll tax relief, renewed unemployment benefits and included measures intended to support job…

Taxing and Spending Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) Taxing and Spending Clause Overview of the Taxing and Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution: text, components, historical debates, judicial development, limits, and examples of its modern application.

Tea Act of 1773 Tea Act An 18th-century British law that altered tea trade rules to aid the East India Company; it reduced costs of company tea, provoked colonial protests and helped trigger the American…

Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Overview of the Tenth Amendment, its role in federalism, historical development, judicial interpretation, and practical significance for state and individual powers.

Terra nullius — the legal doctrine of unclaimed territory Terra nullius Terra nullius is a Latin legal concept meaning territory belonging to no state. This article explains its definition, legal criteria, historical uses, controversies and modern exam…

Test Case (Law) A test case is litigation brought to resolve an unclear legal question and create precedent; used by individuals, groups, governments, or NGOs to shape law and policy.

Testimony: Statements of Truth in Law, Religion, and Public Life Testimony An overview of testimony as a formal statement asserting truth, its legal and religious forms, historical roots, common types, and how reliability and rules shape its use.

Texas Rangers — law enforcement history and the baseball franchise Texas Rangers Overview of the Texas Rangers: origins as a frontier law-enforcement force, evolution into a modern investigative agency, cultural impact, controversies, and the Major League Baseb…

The Book of the Law (Liber AL vel Legis): origin, structure, and influence The Book of the Law Liber AL vel Legis, or the Book of the Law, is the central revealed text of Thelema, written down in Cairo in 1904. It shaped modern occult practice and remains widely studied and…

The Spirit of the Laws — Montesquieu’s landmark on law and political theory The Spirit of the Laws An overview of Montesquieu's De l'esprit des lois (1748): its central arguments, structure, publication history, censorship, and enduring influence on constitutionalism and politic…

Third Amendment to the United States Constitution Prohibits quartering of soldiers in private homes without the owner's consent; adopted as part of the Bill of Rights and rarely litigated, it reflects colonial grievances about mil…

Third Geneva Convention (Treatment of Prisoners of War) Third Geneva Convention The international treaty that sets standards for the humane treatment, rights, and repatriation of prisoners of war in international armed conflicts; adopted 1929 and revised in 19…

Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Adopted in 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States (with a criminal‑punishment exception) and empowered Congress to enforce…

Three Laws of Robotics A concise, neutral overview of Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics: their text, origin, narrative role, ethical implications, limits in practice, and cultural influence.

Ticket of leave (colonial Australia): conditional freedom for convicts Ticket of leave Ticket of leave was a colonial document granting disciplined transported convicts limited freedom to work and reside within a district, under conditions and supervision until full…

Title (name prefix and suffix) Title A title is a prefix or suffix attached to a personal name to indicate role, rank, achievement, or courtesy. This article explains types, history, usage, and how titles differ from…

Title IX of the Education Amendments — overview and impact Title IX Overview of Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs; covers history, scope, enforcement, examples, and key debates.

Titles of Nobility Amendment (proposed U.S. constitutional amendment) Titles of Nobility Amendment A proposed 1810 U.S. constitutional amendment that would remove citizenship from Americans accepting foreign noble titles; approved by Congress and submitted to the states but neve…

Topfreedom: the movement for women's right to go topless in public Topfreedom Topfreedom refers to the claim that women should be allowed to be bare-chested in public on equal terms with men. Laws and social responses vary widely by jurisdiction and culture.

Torah: Definition, Books, History and Role in Judaism Torah An overview of the Torah — its meaning, the five books, structure and public reading, historical perspectives, and its religious and cultural importance within Judaism and beyond.

Tort (civil wrong): principles, types, elements and remedies Tort Tort law governs civil wrongs that cause harm or loss to persons or property, providing remedies such as compensation. Covers negligence, intentional acts, strict liability, defens…

Treaty: Definition, Purpose, Types, and Historical Role Treaty A treaty is a formal written agreement between two or more parties—typically states—governing relations, obligations, boundaries, trade, defence, or other matters under internation…

Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762): Secret transfer of Louisiana to Spain Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762) A secret 1762 agreement in which France transferred the territory of Louisiana, including New Orleans, to Spain during the closing stages of the Seven Years' War. Its effects resha…

Treaty of Ghent (1814) Treaty of Ghent Peace treaty signed in Ghent on 24 December 1814 that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom, restoring prewar borders and arranging commissions to…

Treaty of Lahore (1846): Terms, Context, and Consequences Treaty of Lahore The Treaty of Lahore, signed 9 March 1846 after the First Anglo‑Sikh War, imposed territorial losses, an indemnity, and British supervisory rights in the Punjab and led to the tran…

Treaty of Lisbon The 2007 Treaty of Lisbon reformed the European Union’s institutions and decision-making. It entered into force in 2009 and clarified competences, introduced new offices, and stren…

Treaty of London (1839): Recognition and Guarantee of Belgian Neutrality Treaty of London (1839) The 1839 Treaty of London formally recognized Belgium's independence, defined borders (including Luxembourg), and established Belgian neutrality guaranteed by European powers; late…

Treaty of Maastricht (Maastricht Treaty) Treaty of Maastricht 1992 treaty that created the modern European Union, introduced EU citizenship and laid foundations for Economic and Monetary Union and deeper political cooperation.

Treaty of Northampton (1328): recognition of Scottish independence Treaty of Northampton A 1328 peace agreement between England and Scotland that formally recognised Scotland's independence and Robert the Bruce's dynasty; its terms, context, and short-lived effects.

Treaty of Paris Generic name for multiple international agreements signed in Paris, often ending wars or defining borders; notable examples include treaties of 1763, 1783, 1814–15, 1856 and 1898.

Treaty of Paris (1920): Recognition of Romanian Sovereignty over Bessarabia Treaty of Paris (1920) 1920 agreement in Paris in which the Principal Allied Powers recognized Romania's claim to Bessarabia. The treaty never entered into force because Japan failed to ratify, leaving t…

Treaty of Rome (1957): Founding Treaty of the European Economic Community Treaty of Rome Signed 25 March 1957, the Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community and Euratom, launched the common market among six founding countries and set institutions that evol…

Treaty of Troyes (1420) and its impact on the French succession Treaty of Troyes The 1420 Treaty of Troyes attempted to make Henry V and his heirs the kings of France, disinheriting the Dauphin; it failed amid dynastic deaths, civil conflict, and the revival of…

Treaty of Versailles The 1919 peace treaty that ended the First World War for Germany, imposing territorial losses, military limits and reparations, creating the League of Nations and shaping the inter…

Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (2+4 Treaty) Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany Overview of the 1990 Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany (the 2+4 Treaty): signatories, main provisions on sovereignty, military limits, borders, implementation…

Trial (legal proceeding) Trial A trial is a formal legal process in which a judge or jury examines evidence and arguments to resolve criminal charges or civil disputes under established rules of law.

Trial in Absentia: Definition, Practice, and Legal Issues Trial in absentia Trial in absentia means proceeding against an accused who is not present. This article explains forms, safeguards, controversies, examples, and how different systems treat such tri…

Tribunal: definition, roles, history, and types Tribunal A tribunal is an official body or person empowered to decide disputes, enforce rules, or adjudicate rights. This article explains its features, origins, typical functions and disti…

Trust (law): nature, structure, history and common uses Trust law A trust is a legal arrangement where one person holds property for others. This article explains core elements, historical development, common types (including offshore trusts), us…

Trusty system (prison) A penal practice in which selected inmates were given authority to supervise others; widely used in Southern U.S. prisons and ended after judicial findings of unconstitutional abus…

Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution Amendment that reformed the Electoral College in 1804 by requiring separate ballots for President and Vice President and specifying contingent election rules when no candidate wins…

Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution A summary of the Twenty-fifth Amendment: how presidential succession, vice-presidential vacancies and temporary or permanent presidential inability are handled, plus history and no…

Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution The Twenty-first Amendment (ratified December 5, 1933) repealed Prohibition, returned alcohol regulation to the states, and is the only amendment ratified by state conventions.

Twenty-fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution Prohibits requiring payment of a poll tax as a condition for voting in federal elections; proposed 1962, ratified 1964; includes enforcement power for Congress and influenced later…

Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution Constitutional amendment limiting how many times a person may be elected President of the United States; passed by Congress in 1947 and ratified in 1951, with a rule for partial te…