attainder Definition
- 1a legal judgment that someone is guilty of a crime, especially treason
- 2the state of being deprived of one's civil rights as a result of a legal judgment
Using attainder: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "attainder" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The bill of attainder declared him guilty without a trial.
Example
The punishment for treason included attainder and forfeiture of property.
Example
The attainder was reversed after the accused was found innocent.
attainder Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for attainder
- sentence
- conviction
- condemnation
Phrases with attainder
an act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without privilege of a judicial trial
Example
The Constitution prohibits bills of attainder in the United States.
corruption of blood and attainder
a legal process by which a person is stripped of his or her rights and privileges as a citizen, including the right to own property, and his or her heirs are disinherited
Example
The English Bill of Rights of 1689 abolished corruption of blood and attainder.
the process of restoring the rights and privileges of a person who has been convicted of a crime and sentenced to attainder
Example
The reversal of attainder was granted to the accused after new evidence was presented in court.
Origins of attainder
from Old French 'ataindre', meaning 'to reach, attain'
Summary: attainder in Brief
'Attainder' [əˈteɪndər] refers to a legal judgment that someone is guilty of a crime, especially treason. It can also mean the state of being deprived of one's civil rights as a result of a legal judgment. The term is often used in phrases like 'bill of attainder,' which declares guilt without a trial, and 'corruption of blood and attainder,' which strips a person of their rights and privileges as a citizen. 'Reversal of attainder' is the process of restoring the rights and privileges of a person who has been convicted of a crime and sentenced to attainder.