: a legal taint that was one of the results of a conviction by attainder, that barred the attainted person from inheriting, retaining, or transmitting any estate, rank, or title, and that was abolished in England in 1870 and never was recognized in the U.S.
the Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted — U.S. Constitution