兩術(shù)語均為《美國聯(lián)邦憲法》所禁止的法律，都屬于剝奪犯有嚴(yán)重罪行，如treason或felon等罪犯公民權(quán)利的一種專門立法，對法令規(guī)定之犯罪者可不經(jīng)審判即處以懲罰。區(qū)別在于bill of attainder ( “極刑懲處法”)(也稱為act of attainder)規(guī)定不經(jīng)審判即可適用死刑[1] ；而bill of pains and penalties ( “嚴(yán)刑懲治法”）規(guī)定的處罰則相對較輕，不包含死刑[2]?！睹绹?lián)邦憲法》是將 bill of pains and penalties 歸并在 bill of attainder 中一起加以禁止的。

[1]“A special legislative act prescribing capital punishment, without a trial, for a person guilty of a high offense such as treason or a felony. ”Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 159, West Group (1999).
[2] "An act is a bill of attainder where the punishment is death and a bill of pains and penalties when the punishment is less severe; both kinds of punishment fall within the scope of the constitutional prohibition. " Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 114, West Publishing Co. (1991 ).