United States
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal republic with a strong federal tradition
- CONSTITUTION
- September 17, 1787, in effect from March 4, 1789
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- federal court system based on English common law. Each state has its own legal system
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts; state and county courts
RELIGIONS
51.3% Protestants; 23.9% Catholics; 1.7% Mormons; 1.6% other Christians; 1.7% Jews; 0.7% Muslims; other unspecified or no religion
From the country
- FEBRUARY 28, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. US STATE ANNUAL REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN 2004 DENOUNCES SUMMARY EXECUTIONS
the United States on Monday kept up its feud with Syria and Iran, blasting their regimes as represseive and their human rights records as fraught with abuses ranging from arbitrary arrest to torture.
- DECEMBER 17, 2004SpainDEATH PENALTY
SPAIN – US. EXTRADITION AGREEMENT SIGNED
Justice Minister Juan Fernando López Aguilar and United States Attorney General John Ashcroft on December 17 reinforced cooperation on the fight against crime and terrorism, with the signing of an agreement covering extradition and mutual legal assistance
- DECEMBER 9, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
a court in Rome is holding up a decision on whether to extradite...
a court in Rome is holding up a decision on whether to extradite...
- NOVEMBER 14, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
the number of people sentenced to death reached a 30-year low in 2003
the number of people sentenced to death reached a 30-year low in 2003
- OCTOBER 27, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has urged U.S. House and Senate conferees...
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has urged U.S. House and Senate conferees...
- OCTOBER 27, 2004ItalyDEATH PENALTY
in Rome, 2 ex-death row convicts later found to be innocent appealed in Rome for...
in Rome, 2 ex-death row convicts later found to be innocent appealed in Rome for...
- OCTOBER 13, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Justices Address Teen Executions
Justices Address Teen Executions
- OCTOBER 9, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Congress passed and sent legislation to President Bush...
Congress passed and sent legislation to President Bush that would give rape victims and convicted felons greater access to DNA testing
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
US death penalty opponents hope that Democrat John Kerry, a former prosecutor...
US death penalty opponents hope that Democrat John Kerry, a former prosecutor...
- JULY 24, 2004United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Abu Hamza could not be sent from Britain to the US...
Abu Hamza could not be sent from Britain to the US to face terrorism charges because any guarantee given by the US government not to execute him was worthless, a court was told
- JULY 19, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The European Union, former US president Jimmy Carter...
The European Union, former US president Jimmy Carter and the ex president of the former Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev called on the US Supreme Court to end the death penalty for offenders younger than 18 at the time of their crimes
- JUNE 24, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in the case of Warren Summerlin...
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in the case of Warren Summerlin v