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
- APRIL 9, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Assured that accused murderer Paul Eduardovich Goldman...
Assured that accused murderer Paul Eduardovich Goldman would not face the death penalty in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a French court agreed to extradite him to the United States
- MARCH 2, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Mexican President Vicente Fox will complain to President...
Mexican President Vicente Fox will complain to President Bush about the pending execution in Oklahoma of a Mexican double murderer when the pair meet this weekend, Mexican officials said
- FEBRUARY 26, 2004United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Thailand's human rights credentials declined in 2003,...
Thailand's human rights credentials declined in 2003, the United States said in a blunt criticism over the kingdom's deadly war on drugs
- DECEMBER 26, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
(continued from above) In 1988, the Supreme Court prohibited...
(continued from above) In 1988, the Supreme Court prohibited the execution of defendants who were younger than 16 at the time of their crimes
- DECEMBER 26, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The decision by a Virginia jury to spare Lee Boyd Malvo's...
The decision by a Virginia jury to spare Lee Boyd Malvo's life after finding him guilty in the 2003 Washington-area sniper rampage may hasten a movement to abolish the death penalty for juvenile killers, legal experts say
- DECEMBER 23, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A jury in Chesapeake, Va
A jury in Chesapeake, Va
- DECEMBER 16, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Zayd Hassan Abd al-Latif Masud al Safarini pleaded...
Zayd Hassan Abd al-Latif Masud al Safarini pleaded guilty to 95 charges, including murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder, and agreed to a sentence of three consecutive life terms plus 25 years
- DECEMBER 15, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The United States would not object to Saddam Hussein...
The United States would not object to Saddam Hussein facing the death penalty in an upcoming trial if it is fairly conducted, a senior State Department official said
- NOVEMBER 25, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Australian officials said that the United States promised...
Australian officials said that the United States promised not to seek the death penalty against two Australian citizens being held at a detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with others captured during the war on terrorism
- OCTOBER 2, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Judge Leonie M
Judge Leonie M
- JULY 21, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A German court approved the extradition of Mohammed...
A German court approved the extradition of Mohammed Ali Hassan al-Moayad, a Yemeni cleric, and his assistant, Mohammed Mohsen Yahya Zayed, to face charges in the United States of supplying weapons, militants and millions of dollars in funding to the al-Qa
- JULY 9, 2003United StatesDEATH PENALTY
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said his government...
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said his government was pressing Washington behind the scenes to ensure the planned trials of terrorism suspects jailed at Guantanamo Bay would not violate international law