Legal System
The Legal System Channel features information related to how society deals with crime, criminals and law enforcement. Learn more about how governments operate their legal systems.
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Review Websites Like TripAdvisor Are Under Fire. Is That Warranted?
TripAdvisor deleted — and later reinstated — a hotel review where a visitor alleged she had been raped. How can review websites legally balance their duty to warn users as well as to beware of false, defamatory content?
When Private Investigators Go Rogue
Private investigative firms like Black Cube, hired by Harvey Weinstein, use borderline illegal tactics to try to silence accusers.
This Is How Sexual Harassment Is Legally Defined in the U.S.
Reports of famous people being accused of sexually harassment have been all over news sites and social media. What does U.S. law actually say sexual harassment is?
How the Manson Family Murders Worked
Charles Manson and his family have captivated the world since their murderous spree in the late '60s. What is it about this cult leader that made him so mesmerizing?
When Is — and Isn't — Crime Considered Terrorism?
The struggle to define which crimes are considered terrorism — and which are not — isn't easy.
Majority Want Legal Marijuana To Be the Norm
Ending federal pot prohibition could mean big changes and big bucks for states.
Hotel Security Experts Warn About Learning the Wrong Lessons in Wake of Las Vegas Shooting
Hotel security in the U.S. today seems to be where airport security was before 9/11. Will it change after the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history?
Should Nature Have the Right to Sue in Court?
A lawsuit in federal court in Colorado seeks to establish that the Colorado River ecosystem has legal rights similar to those of a person.
5 Ways to Stay Safe in a Mass Shooting
We don't expect to ever be in a mass shooting. But by assuming the worst can happen, one expert says, we take the first step toward being prepared.
Likelihood Kids Will Be Injured by Guns Depends on Where They Live
Three new studies highlight the regional differences in gun injuries and deaths among young children and teens.
Codes and a Corpse: The Somerton Beach Man Mystery Persists
The Somerton Beach man mystery has baffled authorities and mystery buffs for decades. Will we ever know who he was or how he died?
How the U.S. Secret Service Works
While most people think of the Secret Service's only job as protecting the president, its first mission was combating counterfeiting. How does it balance the two?
Hunting Serial Killers Who Vanish
To hunt serial killers you have to understand them, and that's not always an easy task for investigators.
Look Alive, Cell Phone Zombies — Honolulu to Ban Texting While Crossing a Street
If the risk of being hit by a moving vehicle isn't enough to get your eyes off your phone, the threat of a fine may do the trick.
The Scopes Monkey Trial Was a Historic Debate Over Evolution … And a Publicity Ploy
The controversial case in the tiny Tennessee town of Dayton drew national media attention — and live apes. But all that spectacle wasn't for naught.
How Did Elisa Lam End Up Dead in a Hotel Water Tank?
Canadian student Elisa Lam went missing in 2013 and the mystery surrounding her death captured national attention. So what really happened to this 21-year-old?
Loving v. Virginia: The Landmark Case That Legalized Interracial Marriage in the US
Richard and Mildred Loving's interracial marriage was against the law. But it led to the Supreme Court's historic decision in 1967 to ban anti-miscegenation laws across the country.
Women Have Been Vanishing for Decades on Canada's Highway of Tears
Who has been kidnapping and killing the indigenous women along Highway 16 in British Columbia?
Why Are Mandatory Minimum Sentences Popular Again?
Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants to reinstate mandatory minimum prison sentences. But do they really deter future criminals, or do they proportionately affect certain groups instead?
Study Pinpoints Best Strategy to Address Past Crimes in a Job Interview
A new study examines how former offenders should — and should not — speak about a history of incarceration.
Can You Sue Over 'Third-hand Smoke' Exposure?
Research shows that nicotine residue lingering in furniture and carpets may be hazardous to kids. Could that mean legal action for unsuspecting homeowners and tenants?
Can the Government Access Data on Electronic Devices in Checked Luggage?
The TSA can open your checked bags at an airport. But how deep can they dig into electronic devices they find inside?
How One Missing Oxford Comma Changed an Entire Legal Decision
The divisive serial comma finally got its day in court—it was glorious.
Who's in Charge of Investigating Deaths in Antarctica?
Antarctica belongs to no one nation. So what happens in the event of a crime?
10 Press Exposés That Made a Difference
While the press often gets a beating from the public and politicians, journalists have brought to national attention lots of issues that would otherwise remain hidden.
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