Impeachment

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Impeachment \Im*peach"ment\, n. [Cf. F. emp[^e]chement.]
     The act of impeaching, or the state of being impeached; as:
     (a) Hindrance; impediment; obstruction. [Obs.]
         [1913 Webster]
  
               Willing to march on to Calais,


               Without impeachment.                 --Shak.
     (b) A calling to account; arraignment; especially, of a
         public officer for maladministration.
         [1913 Webster]
  
               The consequence of Coriolanus' impeachment had like
               to have been fatal to their state.   --Swift.
     (c) A calling in question as to purity of motives, rectitude
         of conduct, credibility, etc.; accusation; reproach; as,
         an impeachment of motives. --Shak.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In England, it is the privilege or right of the House
           of Commons to impeach, and the right of the House of
           Lords to try and determine impeachments. In the United
           States, it is the right of the House of Representatives
           to impeach, and of the Senate to try and determine
           impeachments.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Articles of impeachment}. See under {Article}.
  
     {Impeachment of waste} (Law), restraint from, or
        accountability for, injury; also, a suit for damages for
        injury. --Abbott.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  impeachment
       n : a formal document charging a public official with misconduct
           in office

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  IMPEACHMENT, const. law, punishments. Under the constitution and laws of the 
  United States, an impeachment may be described to be a written accusation, 
  by the house of representatives of the United States, to the senate of the 
  United States, against an officer. The presentment, written accusation, is 
  called articles of impeachment. 
       2. The constitution declares that the house of representatives shall 
  have the sole power of impeachment art. 1, s. 2, cl. 5 and that the senate 
  shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. Art. 1, s. 3, cl. 6. 
       3. The persons liable to impeachment are the president, vice-president, 
  and all civil officers of the United States. Art. 2, s. 4. A question arose 
  upon an impeachment before the senate, in 1799, whether a senator was a 
  civil officer of the United States, within the purview of this section of 
  the constitution, and it was decided by the senate, by a vote of fourteen 
  against eleven, that he was not. Senate Journ., January 10th, 1799; Story on 
  Const. Sec. 791; Rawle on Const. 213, 214 Serg. Const. Law, 376. 
       4. The offences for which a guilty officer may be impeached are, 
  treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors. Art. 2, s. 4. The 
  constitution defines the crime of treason. Art. 3, s. 3. Recourse must be 
  had to the common law for a definition of bribery. Not having particularly 
  mentioned what is to be understood by "other high crimes and misdemeanors," 
  resort, it is presumed, must be had to parliamentary practice, and the 
  common law, in order to ascertain what they are. Story, Sec. 795. 
       5. The mode of proceeding, in the institution and trial of 
  impeachments, is as follows: When a person who may be legally impeached has 
  been guilty, or is supposed to have been guilty, of some malversation in 
  office, a resolution is generally brought forward by a member of the house 
  of representatives, either to accuse the party, or for a committee of 
  inquiry. If the committee report adversely to the party accused, they give a 
  statement of the charges, and recommend that he be impeached; when the 
  resolution is adopted by the house, a  committee is appointed to impeach the 
  party at the bar of the senate, and to state that the articles of 
  impeachment against him will be exhibited in due time, and made good before 
  the senate, and to demand that the senate take order for the appearance of 
  the party to answer to the impeachment. The house then agree upon the 
  articles of impeachment, and they are presented to the senate by a committee 
  appointed by the house to prosecute the impeachment; the senate then issues 
  process, summoning the party to appear at a given day before them, to answer 
  to the articles. The process is served by the sergeant-at-arms of the 
  senate, and a return is made of it to the senate, under oath. On the return-
  day of the process, the senate resolves itself into a court of impeachment, 
  and the senators are sworn to do justice, according to the constitution and 
  laws. The person impeached is called to answer, and either appears or does 
  not appear. If he does not appear, his default is recorded, and the senate 
  may proceed ex parte. If he does appear, either by himself or attorney, the 
  parties are required to form an issue, and a time is then assigned for the 
  trial. The proceedings on the trial are conducted substantially as they are 
  upon common judicial trials. If any debates arise among the senators, they 
  are conducted in secret, and the final decision is given by yeas and nays; 
  but no person can be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the 
  members present. Const. art. 1, s. 2, cl. 6. 
       6. When the president is tried, the chief justice shall preside. The 
  judgment, in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal 
  from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, 
  trust, or profit under the United States. Proceedings on impeachments under 
  the state constitutions are somewhat similar. Vide Courts of the United 
  States. 
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  IMPEACHMENT, evidence. An allegation, supported by proof, that a witness who 
  has been examined is unworthy of credit. 
       2. Every witness is liable to be impeached as to his character for 
  truth; and, if his general character is good, he is presumed, at all times, 
  to be ready to support it. 3 Bouv. Inst. n. 3224, et seq.