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 7, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
US Attorney General John Ashcroft has directed federal...
US Attorney General John Ashcroft has directed federal prosecutors in New York and Connecticut to seek the death penalty in a dozen cases in which they had recommended lesser sentences
- FEBRUARY 6, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Texas said it would ignore a World Court order demanding...
Texas said it would ignore a World Court order demanding it stay the executions of 2 Mexicans, Cesar Robert Fierro Reyna and Roberto Moreno Ramos
- FEBRUARY 5, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
State lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that...
State lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that would restore Idaho's death penalty, which was overturned last year by a US Supreme Court ruling
- FEBRUARY 5, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The International Court of Justice ruled that three...
The International Court of Justice ruled that three of the Mexican nationals on death row in the United States should be granted a temporary stay of execution
- JANUARY 30, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
In a resolution the European Parliament called for...
In a resolution the European Parliament called for the United States, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Congo and others to introduce a moratorium on executions "with a view to completely abolishing the death penalty
- JANUARY 30, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
In a resolution the European Parliament called for...
In a resolution the European Parliament called for the United States, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Congo and others to introduce a moratorium on executions "with a view to completely abolishing the death penalty
- JANUARY 29, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Iraq denied a leading US defense official's charge...
Iraq denied a leading US defense official's charge that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered the execution of any scientists seen cooperating with UN arms inspectors
- JANUARY 27, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The United States raised concern regarding the execution...
The United States raised concern regarding the execution of Lobsang Dhondup, a Tibetan activist convicted following a string of bomb blasts in southwestern China
- JANUARY 27, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The US Supreme Court refused to get involved in the...
The US Supreme Court refused to get involved in the controversy over death sentences for juveniles
- JANUARY 21, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Saying it had exhausted other alternatives, Mexico...
Saying it had exhausted other alternatives, Mexico appealed to the World Court to stop the execution of 51 of its citizens in the United States
- JANUARY 11, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
In the largest purge of death row in US history, Illinois...
In the largest purge of death row in US history, Illinois Gov
- JANUARY 7, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
According National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty,...
According National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, 224 death sentences have been imposed on juveniles since 1976 but only 21 have been carried out