Chapter 1 and 2

Reservations

a legal way of making a provision less enforceable than it might be otherwise

Criminal Law

The branch of law dealing with crimes and their punishments

Misdemeanors

Criminal offense, less serious than felony(punishable by prison sentence of 1 year or less)

Plaintiff

Injured party who brings legal action against the alleged wrongdoer

Human Rights

Basic privileges as a human being

Felony

Serious criminal offense (punishable by prison sentence of more than a year)

Civil Law

Law that does not involve criminal matters, (deals with private rights of individuals, groups, or businesses)

Civil action

a non criminal lawsuit, brought to enforce a right or redress a wrong

Defendant

an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.

Prosecutor

State or federal government's attorney in a criminal care

beyond a reasonable doubt

The level of proof required to convict a person of a crime

Preponderance of the evidence

The burden of proof that a party must meet in order the win lawsuit

Limited government

Basic principle of constitutional system. Limits government to powers provided by people

Separation of powers

Division of power between executive, legislative, and judicial branch

Checks and Balances

The three government branches limits each other's branch so power isn't abused

Veto

To prevent the bill from becoming a law

Judicial review

Process when courts decide laws passed by congress or legislatures are constitutional

Unconstitutional

Conflicting with provision of Constitution

Federalism

The division of powers between the states and federal government

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution

Ordinances

A County or city law

Supremacy Clause

a provision in article VI of constitution stating U.S laws and treaties must be followed even if local laws disagree

Bill

a proposed law being considered by a legislature

legislative intent

what the lawmakers who passed a law wanted the law to mean

Statues

written laws enacted by legislatures

Public hearings

Hearings that are open to the public

Trial

Court preceeding

appeals court

a court in which appeals from trial-court decisions are heard

precedent

court decision on a legal question that guides future cases with similar questions

Treaty

A pact between nations

Extradition

the legal process in which one country or state asks another to surrender a suspected or convicted criminal