Legal status
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2008-05-16T10:42:39Z
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Date the maintenance tags and general fixes
{{Merge|Status (law)|date=May 2008}}
{{legal status}}
In [[law]] '''legal status''' refers to the concept of individuals having a particular place in society, relative to the law, as it determines the laws which affect them.
Degrees of status, as well as the [[rights]] and [[statutes]] which apply, vary in accordance with several standard (as well as specialized designations).
Various terms are used by different [[jurisdiction]]s to refer to people and their status under the law. These may include terms such as:
* [[slave]]<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/opinion/30foner.html Foner, Eric. "Forgotten step towards freedom,"] ''New York Times.'' December 30, 2007.</ref>
* [[citizen]] or [[elector]]
* [[minor (law)|minor]], ''ie'' a legal child
* enlisted [[soldier]], [[serviceman]] or [[conscript]]
* [[felony|convicted felon]]
* [[enemy combatant]] or [[prisoner of war]]
Most such terms have technical (legal) meanings in their respective jurisdictions or under [[international law]]. However, some such terms are politically controversial and their use may induce strong emotions, ''eg'':
* [[illegal immigrant]], [[refugee]] or [[exile]]
* [[political prisoner]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Legal categories of people]]
{{law-stub}}