Which term describes the act of charging someone with a crime before it becomes law?

The term that describes the act of charging someone with a crime before it becomes law is "ex post facto." This phrase refers to laws that make an action illegal retroactively, meaning that an individual can be punished for an act that was not considered a crime at the time it was committed. The U.S. Constitution contains a prohibition against ex post facto laws, which protects individuals from being prosecuted for actions they took when those actions were legal.

In this context, it is important to note that a bill of attainder is a legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without trial, which is different from retroactive laws. Implied powers refer to powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are deemed necessary to implement the Constitution's expressed powers. Judicial review is the power of courts to assess whether a law is in compliance with the Constitution, rather than directly relating to the charging of crimes. Thus, "ex post facto" is the correct choice for describing the scenario of retroactive criminal charges.