bill of attainder

English

Noun

bill of attainder (plural bills of attainder)

1. (law) A legislative determination imposing punishment without trial.
   • 1920, Francis Charles Montague, The History of England, from the Accession of James I to the Restoration, page 1663:

     They resolved to copy a Tudor precedent and to proceed against him by bill of attainder. Doubts of law and defects of evidence would thus be cured

   • 1998, Daniel E. Troy, Retroactive Legislation, page 56:

     Coupled with the Constitution's proscription of ex post facto laws is a similar prohibition against bills of attainder.

   • 2009 March 21, Jim McTague, “Would a Tax on Bonuses Be Constitutional?”, in Barron's:

     That the tax would take effect after some of the payments were made also raises issues. Says former Attorney General Richard Thornburg, also in an e-mail: "Such legislation could well run afoul of constitutional restrictions on bills of attainder, ex post facto laws, laws impairing the obligations of contract, unauthorized takings of property and the like.

Synonyms

• bill of pains and penalties

See also

• ex post facto
• bill of attainder on Wikipedia.Wikipedia