Law
The set of rules and standards by which a society governs itself
Judicial Review
the power of the supreme court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional
Unconsitutional
not consistent with a nations constitution
Impartial
unbiased
Criminal trial court
hears cases about crimes like burglary, murder, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
civil trial court
hears cases where one person or group thinks another person or group should pay for causing harm
original jurisdiction
the authority of a trial court to be the first to hear a case
adversarial system
a trial system that is a contest between opposing sides
inquisitorial system
a trial system where the judge plays an active role in gathering evidence
plaintiff
in a civil trial, the person who brings suit in court
prosecutor
an attorney who represents the government in a criminal case
defendant
the person against whom a civil or criminal suit is brought in court
jury
a group of citizens who hear evidence during a trial and give a verdict
public defender
attorney who works for the state and defends people who cannot afford a private attorney
plea bargain
an agreement where by a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser crime than the one with which a defendant was originally charged in return the government agrees to not prosecute the defendant for the more serious crime
grand jury
a group that hears charges against a suspect and decides whether there is sufficient evidence to bring the person to trial
indictment
a formal charge of criminal action by a grand jury
error of law
a mistake by a judge as to the applicable law in a case
procedural due process
the fair administration of justice
majority opinion
states the decision of the court
dissenting opinion
a document issued by judges who disagree with the majority opinion
concurring opinion
a document issued by judges who agree with the majority opinion, but for different reasons than those used to support the majority opinion
precedent
a legal principle created by an appellate court decision that lower court judges must follow when deciding similar cases
star decisis
a latin term meaning let the decision stand, refers to the principle that courts should follow precedent
statue
a federal law, a law written by a legislative branch
general jurisdiction
courts that are able to hear a wide variety of cases that deal with state or local law, the state constitution, or federal law or the federal constitution
limited jurisdiction
courts that generally hear cases that raise questions about a federal law or the federal constitution
regional circuit
the divisions under the united states federal court system, grouped into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a federal court of appeals, also called the US circuit court
court martial
similar to criminal trials, but consists of judges and attorney drawn from legal officers of the military branch in which the violation occurred
reservation
a tract of public land set aside for use by native Americans, on which most of these groups have their own tribal justice systems
tribal courts
a court that hears criminal and civil cases operating within the tribal justice system
advisory opinion
a ruling on a law that has not yet been challenged in court
writ of certiorari
an order from the supreme court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review
law clerk
an attorney who assists a justice in reviewing cases
rule of four
an unwritten rule declaring that if four of the nine justices agree to hear a case, it will be scheduled for argument
brief
a written statement settling fourth the legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a case
amicus curiae
latin for friend of the court a written brief form an individual or group claiming to have information useful to a courts consideration of a case
unanimous ruling
issued when the justices all agree on the outcome and the reasons for a decision in a case
supreme court justice
a member of the supreme court of the united states, the highest court in the nation
contentious
likely to cause disagreement or argument
appellate litignation
a lawsuit occurring at the appeals level of the court system
Law
The set of rules and standards by which a society governs itself
Judicial Review
the power of the supreme court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional
Unconsitutional
not consistent with a nations constitution
Impartial
unbiased
Criminal trial court
hears cases about crimes like burglary, murder, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
civil trial court
hears cases where one person or group thinks another person or group should pay for causing harm
original jurisdiction
the authority of a trial court to be the first to hear a case
adversarial system
a trial system that is a contest between opposing sides
inquisitorial system
a trial system where the judge plays an active role in gathering evidence
plaintiff
in a civil trial, the person who brings suit in court
prosecutor
an attorney who represents the government in a criminal case
defendant
the person against whom a civil or criminal suit is brought in court
jury
a group of citizens who hear evidence during a trial and give a verdict
public defender
attorney who works for the state and defends people who cannot afford a private attorney
plea bargain
an agreement where by a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser crime than the one with which a defendant was originally charged in return the government agrees to not prosecute the defendant for the more serious crime
grand jury
a group that hears charges against a suspect and decides whether there is sufficient evidence to bring the person to trial
indictment
a formal charge of criminal action by a grand jury
error of law
a mistake by a judge as to the applicable law in a case
procedural due process
the fair administration of justice
majority opinion
states the decision of the court
dissenting opinion
a document issued by judges who disagree with the majority opinion
concurring opinion
a document issued by judges who agree with the majority opinion, but for different reasons than those used to support the majority opinion
precedent
a legal principle created by an appellate court decision that lower court judges must follow when deciding similar cases
star decisis
a latin term meaning let the decision stand, refers to the principle that courts should follow precedent
statue
a federal law, a law written by a legislative branch
general jurisdiction
courts that are able to hear a wide variety of cases that deal with state or local law, the state constitution, or federal law or the federal constitution
limited jurisdiction
courts that generally hear cases that raise questions about a federal law or the federal constitution
regional circuit
the divisions under the united states federal court system, grouped into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a federal court of appeals, also called the US circuit court
court martial
similar to criminal trials, but consists of judges and attorney drawn from legal officers of the military branch in which the violation occurred
reservation
a tract of public land set aside for use by native Americans, on which most of these groups have their own tribal justice systems
tribal courts
a court that hears criminal and civil cases operating within the tribal justice system
advisory opinion
a ruling on a law that has not yet been challenged in court
writ of certiorari
an order from the supreme court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review
law clerk
an attorney who assists a justice in reviewing cases
rule of four
an unwritten rule declaring that if four of the nine justices agree to hear a case, it will be scheduled for argument
brief
a written statement settling fourth the legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a case
amicus curiae
latin for friend of the court a written brief form an individual or group claiming to have information useful to a courts consideration of a case
unanimous ruling
issued when the justices all agree on the outcome and the reasons for a decision in a case
supreme court justice
a member of the supreme court of the united states, the highest court in the nation
contentious
likely to cause disagreement or argument
appellate litignation
a lawsuit occurring at the appeals level of the court system