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dépeçage  (dep-<<schwa>>-sahzh).  [French  “dismemberment”]  A  court’s  application  of different state laws to different issues in a legal dispute; choice of law on an issue-by-issue basis.[Blacks Law 8th]

departure in despite of court.Hist. A failure of a defendant (called a tenant) in a real action to appear  on  demand.  •  A  tenant,  having  once  appeared  in  a  real  action,  was  considered  to  be constructively  present  until  again  called.  So  if  the  tenant  failed  to  appear  when  demanded,  the tenant was said to have…

departure,n.1.  A  deviation  or  divergence  from  a  standard  rule,  regulation,  measurement,  or course of conduct <an impermissible departure from sentencing guidelines>. downward  departure.In the federal sentencing  guidelines, a court’s imposition  of a sentence more lenient than the standard  guidelines propose, as when the court concludes that a criminal’s history is less serious than it appears.…

Department  of  Veterans  Affairs.The  cabinet-level  department  of  the  federal  government responsible for operating programs that benefit veterans of military service and their families. • It is headed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. — Abbr. VA. [Blacks Law 8th]

Department  of  Transportation.The  federal  executive  division  responsible  for  programs  and policies  concerning  transportation.  •  Through  a  series  of  specialized  agencies,  this  department oversees aviation, highways, railroads, mass transit, the U.S. merchant marine, and other programs. — Abbr. DOT. [Blacks Law 8th]

Department   of   the   Treasury.The  cabinet-level   department   of   the   federal  government responsible   for   recommending   tax   and   fiscal   policies,   collecting   taxes,   disbursing   U.S. government  funds,  enforcing  tax  laws,  and  manufacturing  coins  and  currency.  •  Created  by Congress  in  1789,  it  is  headed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  —  Also  termed  Treasury Department. [Cases: United States    33.…

Department of the Navy.See NAVY DEPARTMENT. [Blacks Law 8th]

Department   of   the   Interior.The   cabinet-level   department   of   the   federal   government responsible for managing the nation’s public lands and minerals, national parks, national wildlife refuges,  and  western  water  resources,  and  for  upholding  federal  trust  responsibilities  to  Indian tribes.  •  The  Department  also  has  responsibility  for  migratory-wildlife  conservation;  historical preservation; endangered species; surface-mined-lands preservation and restoration; mapping;…

Department of State.The cabinet-level department of the federal government responsible for advising the President in formulating and executing foreign policy. • Headed by the Secretary of State, the Department negotiates treaties and other agreements with foreign nations; speaks for the United States before the United Nations and other international organizations; and represents the United States…

Department of Social Services.See CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. — Abbr. DSS. [Blacks Law 8th]