Politics
Method of maintaining, managing, and gaining control of government (who gets what, when, and how)
Legitimacy
Political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution
participatory democracy
a system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf
pluralist democracy
a theory of democracy that holds that citizen membership in groups is the key to political power
Elitest Democracy
a theory that a few top leaders make the key decisions without reference to popular desires
pluralist view
the belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policyPow
Authority
the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person's intentions
creedal passion view
view that morally impassioned elites drive important political changes
pork-barrel legislation
legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return
log rolling
a legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support of his or hers
Articles of Confederation
A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.
Shay's Rebellion
A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shays to block foreclosure proceedings.
Decleration of Independence
a 1776 document stating that the 13 English colonies were a free and independent nation
Virgina Plan
Supported by larger states and wanted seats based on population of states
New Jersey Plan
A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new congress
Judicial Review
Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws
Marbury v. Madison
This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review
enumerated powers
Powers given to the national government alone
reserved powers
Powers given to the state government alone
concurrent powers
Powers held jointly by the national and state governments.
Federalists
A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.
Anti-Federalists
Opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption.
Amendments
Official changes, corrections, or additions to the Constitution
bill of attainder
a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court
Habeas Corpus
An order to produce an arrested person before a judge.
ex post facto law
a law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed
line-item veto
an executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature
Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments
Necessary and Proper Clause
Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitut
Dual Federalism
A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.
Cooperative Federalism
A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.
unitary system
A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
confederal system
A system consisting of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign powers. The central government created by such a league has only limited powers over the states.
federal system
A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments
categorical grants
Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport
block grants
Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services
US vs Lopez
The Court held that Congress had exceeded its commerce clause power by prohibiting guns in school.
Federalist 10
Topic = factions (interest groups); minority factions controlled by majority; majority faction controlled by greater size of USA + virtuous leaders
Federalist 51 (Madison)
Separation of powers, checks and balances
Brutus 1
Before the constitution was ratified; too much power in national government; won't be able to survive bc it's too big
McCoulloch v. Maryland
(1819) U.S. supreme court decision in which chief justice john marshall, holding that maryland could not tax the second bank of the u.s supported the authority of the federal gov. vs. the states
political culture
a patterned and sustained way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out
liberty
Freedom from government control
equality
As a political value, the idea that all people are of equal worth.
Democracy
government by the people
Civic Duty
a belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs
individual responsibility
A characteristically American view is that, barring some disability, individuals are responsible for their own actions and well-being.
equality of opportunity
a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential
equality of results
The belief that everyone can achieve the same results despite differences in backgrounds if they work hard enough and overcome obstacles
civic competence
A belief that one can affect government policies
class consciousness
A belief that you are a member of an economic group whose interests are opposed to people in other such groups
civic competence
A belief that one can affect government policies
orthodox
A belief that morality and religion ought to be of decisive importance
progressive
A belief that personal freedom and solving social problems are more important than religion
civic society
voluntary action that makes cooperation easier
public opinion
how people think or feel about particular things
poll
A survey of public opinion
random sample
method of selecting from a population in which each person has an equal probability of being selected
sampling error
the difference between the results of random samples taken at the same time
exit polls
polls based on interviews conducted on election day with randomly selected voters
political socialization
process by which background traits influence one's political views
elite
persons who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource, like money or power
political socialization (the family)
The majority of young people are influenced by their family the most and normally identify themselves with their parents
political socialization (religion)
Religious values can impact ones political view (ex: jewish tend to be very liberal, catholics moderately liberal)
gender gap
Difference in political views between men and women
political ideology
a more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue
political elites
persons with a disproportionate share of political power
norm
a standard of right or proper conduct
political participation
The many different ways that people take part in politics and government
15th Amendment (1870)
U.S. cannot prevent a person from voting because of race, color, or creed
19th Amendment (1920)
Gave women the right to vote
23rd Amendment (1961)
gave residents of Washington DC the right to vote
24th Amendment (1964)
Abolishes poll taxes
26th Amendment (1971)
18 year olds gain the right to vote
voting-age population (VAP)
citizens who are eligible to vote after reaching the minimum age requirement
voting eligible population
citizens who have reached the minimum age to be eligible to vote, excluding those who are not legally permitted to cast a ballot
registered voters
those legally eligible to vote who have registered in accordance with the requirements prevailing in their state and locality
Motor Voter Act of 1993
Tried to increase voter turnout by allowing voter registration at same time as getting or renewing driver's license. Increased the registration rate, but not the voter turnout rate (people still apathetic or not motivated to vote)
literacy test
a requirement that citizens show that they can read before registering to vote
poll tax
A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote
Grandfather Clause
A clause in registration laws allowing people who do not meet registration requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867.
white primary
the practice of keeping blacks from voting in the southern states' primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation
Voting Rights Act of 1965
a law designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African-American suffrage
Australian ballot
a government-printed ballot of uniform dimensions to be cast in secret that many states adopted around 1890 to reduce voting fraud associated with party-printed ballots cast in public
Activists
people who tend to participate in all forms of politics
voting specialists
Those who restrict their political participation to voting in elections
campaigners
Those who both vote in elections and get involved in campaigns
Communalists
Those who join organizations and participate in politics but not in partisan campaigns.
parochial participants
Those who avoid elections and civic organizations but will contact officials regarding specific problems.
Baker vs. Carr
The Supreme Court ruling that all state districts must be equal in population, required that voting district needed to be reapportioned.
Shaw vs. Reno
NO racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts.
Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
1st Amendment protects campaign spending; legislatures can limit contributions, but not how much one spends of his own money on campaigns.
Citizens United v. FEC
A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electio
political party
a group that seeks to elect candidates to public office
mugwumps or progressives
Republican party faction of the 1890s to the 1910s, composed of reformers who opposed patronage
split ticket
voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election
straight ticket
voting for candidates of the same party
party identification
a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other
Jacksonian Democracy
A policy of spreading more political power to more people. It was a "Common Man" theme.
Sectionalism
Loyalty to one's own region of the country, rather than to the nation as a whole
critical election
An election when significant groups of voters change their traditional patterns of party loyalty.
office-bloc ballot
a ballot listing all candidates of a given office under the name of that office; also called a "Massachusetts" ballot
party-column ballot
a ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that party; also called an "Indiana" ballot
National Convention
A meeting of party delegates held every four years
national committee
delegates who run party affairs between national conventions
congressional campaign committee
a party committee in Congress that provides funds to members and would-be members
national chair
day-to-day party manager elected by the national committee
Superdelegates
party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses
political machine
a party organization that recruits members by dispensing patronage
ideological party
a party that values principled stands on issues above all else
solidary incentives
the social rewards (sense of pleasure, status, or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations
two-party system
An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections.
minor parties
smaller political parties-have little impact on national elections
Caucus
A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.
incumbent
the person already holding an elective office
Coattails
the alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate, such as the president
Political Action Committee (PAC)
A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations
Malapportionment
drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population
Gerrymandering
Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party
sophomore surge
an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection
incumbency advantage
the electoral edge afforded to those already in office
clothespin vote
the vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate and so votes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his or her nose to keep out the unpleasant stench
political issue
an issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions
valence issue
an issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs
general election
An election held to choose which candidate will hold office
primary election
an election held to choose candidates for office
closed primary
a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members
open primary
A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place
blanket primary
a primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties
runoff primary
A second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary
campaign finance rules
After watergate: contributers cannot give more than 2,000 to a candidate during a single election and 10,000 for a PAC
independent expenditures
Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently of them.
soft money
funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate
527 organizations
Organizations that, under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, raise and spend money to advance political causes
prospective voting
voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues
retrospective voting
voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office
Baker vs. Carr
The Supreme Court ruling that all state districts must be equal in population., required that voting district needed to be reapportioned.
Buckely v. Valeo (1976)
Struck down the portion of the Federal Campaign Act limiting the amount of money individuals can contribute to their own campaign; Ruled that spending money on one's own campaign is a form of constitutionally protected free speech
Citizens United v. FEC
A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electio
interest group
An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy
solidary incentives
the social rewards (sense of pleasure, status, or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations
material incentives
money or things valued in monetary terms
purposive incentive
a benefit that comes from serving a cause or principle
ideological interest groups
political organizations that attract members by appealing to their political convictions or principles
public interest lobby
a political organization whose goals will principally benefit nonmembers
social movement
a widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social or political order
think tank
institutional collection of policy-oriented researchers and academics who are sources of policy ideas
Environmental Movement
a social movement organized around concerns about the relationship between humans and the environment
Feminist Movement
Sought various legal and economic gains for women, including equal access to professions and higher education; came to concentrate on right to vote; won support particularly from middle-class women; active in Western Europe at the end of the 19th century;
Union Movement
workers began to organize to improve wages and working conditions
political cue
a signal telling a legislator what values are at stake in a vote, and how that issue fits into his or her own political views on party agenda
ratings
assessments of a representative's voting record on issues important to an interest group
earmark
a provision in a law that provides a direct benefit to a client without the benefit having been reviewed on the merits by all of Congress
revolving door
Employment cycle in which individuals who work for governmental agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern.
Civil Disobedience
A form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences.
Lobbying
Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.
incentive
a positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior
institutional interests
Individuals or organizations representing other organizations
Member interests
organizations that represent individuals for social, business, labor, or charitable purposes, in order to achieve civil or political goals.
New York Times v. US
Supreme Court case protecting the freedom of the press by allowing the New York Times to publish the "Pentagon Papers" despite the Justice Department's order to restrict it
partisan polarization
a vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators oppose a majority of Republican legislators
Disappearing center
Drastically receding number of liberal republicans and conservative democrats
Parliamentary System
A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president.
bicameral legislature
a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts
Centralization
Degree to which decision-making authority is restricted to higher levels of management in an organization.
Decentralization
Degree to which decision-making authority is given to lower levels in an organization's hierarchy.
House Rules Committee
An institution unique to the House of Representatives that reviews all bills (except revenue, budget, and appropriations bills) coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.
17th Amendment (1913)
Established that senators were to be elected directly by voters (instead of by state legislatures as under the Constitution originally). This law was part of the Progressive Era effort to curb the power of political parties and open up the government with
Filibuster
an attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill
incumbent
the current officeholder
incumbency advantage
the electoral edge afforded to those already in office
marginal districts
political districts in which candidates elected to the house of representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55 percent of the vote
safe districts
Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55 percent or more.
Representational view( Delegate)
explanation of congressional voting that is based on the assumption that members want to get reelected and vote to please their constituents
Organizational view( Partisan)
Explanation of congressional voting which suggests members of Congress respond primarily to cues provided by their colleagues
Attitudinal view( Trustee)
Explanation of congressional voting which emphasizes the impact of personal ideology and party identification as a voting cue
Politico
Lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and partisan roles
majority leader
the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate
minority leader
the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or the Senate
whip
a senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking
Speaker of the House
the elected presiding officer of the House and the leader of its majority party
party vote
There are two measures of such voting. By the stricter measure, a party vote occurs when 90 percent or more of the Democrats in either house of Congress vote together against 90 percent or more of the Republicans. A looser measure counts as a party vote a
Caucus
an association of congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest
standing committees
permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area
select committees
Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.
joint committees
committees on which both senators and representatives serve
conference committee
joint committees appointed to resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the same bill
simple resolution
an expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body
concurrent resolution
An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president
joint resolution
A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president
discharge petition
a device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may petition to have it brought to the floor
closed rule
An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor
open rule
an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress
Riders
Amendments on matters unrelated to a bill that are added to an important bill so that they will "ride" to passage through the Congress. When a bill has many riders, it is called a Christmas-tree bill.
Cloture rule
a rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate
voice vote
A congressional voting procedure in which members shout "yea" in approval or "nay" in disapproval, permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills
roll-call vote
A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering "yea" or "nay" to their names.
Veto
Literally, "I forbid": it refers to the power of a president to disapprove a bill; it may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of each house of Congress.
divided government
one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
unified government
the same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress
Earmarks
Hidden" congressional provisions that direct the federal government to fund specific projects or that exempt specific persons or groups from paying specific federal taxes or fees
pork-barrel legislation
legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return
franking privilege
the ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage
27th Amendment (1992)
Any change in congressional salaries takes place after the general election
Federalist 10
Topic = factions (interest groups); minority factions controlled by majority; majority faction controlled by greater size of USA + virtuous leaders
Federalist 51 (Madison)
Separation of powers, checks and balances
Federalist 70
US requires a strong, energetic executive; plural executive is dangerous
Federalist 84
There is no need for a bill of rights. The constitution already contains 6 provisions that protect individual liberties.
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Established judicial review
McCoulloch v. Maryland
(1819) U.S. supreme court decision in which chief justice john marshall, holding that maryland could not tax the second bank of the u.s supported the authority of the federal gov. vs. the states
Baker vs. Carr
The Supreme Court ruling that all state districts must be equal in population., required that voting district needed to be reapportioned.
Shaw vs. Reno
NO racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts.
Monetarism
the belief that inflation occurs when too much money is chasing too few goods
Keynesianism
the belief the government must manage the economy by spending more money when in a recession and cutting spending when there is inflation
economic planning
the belief that government plans, such as wage and price controls or the direction of investment, can improve the economy
monetary policy
managing the economy by altering the supply of money and interest rates
fiscal policy
managing the economy by the use of tax and spending laws
Globalization
the growing integration of the economies and societies of the world
budget
a document that states tax collections, spending levels, and the allocation of spending among purposes
fiscal year
for the federal government, October 1 through the following September 30
budget resolution
a congressional decision that states the maximum amount of money the government should spend
Entitlements
A claim for government funds that cannot be changed without violating the rights of the claimant
sequester
automatic spending cuts
discretionary spending
spending that is not required to pay for contracts, interest on the national debt, or entitlement programs such as Social Security
22nd Amendment (1951)
the president is limited to two terms or a total of 10 years in office
Parliamentary System
A system of government in which the legislature selects the prime minister or president.
divided government
one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
unified government
the same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress
Gridlock
the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government
presidential system
a system of government in which the legislative and executive branches operate independently of each other
Take Care Clause
The constitutional requirement (in Article II, Section 3) that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed, even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws.
Electoral College
The people chosen to cast each state's votes in a presidential election. Each state can cast one electoral vote for each senator and representative it has. The District of Columbia has three electoral votes, even though it cannot elect a representative or
Powers of the President Alone
1. Serve as commander in chief of the armed-forces. 2. Commission officers of the armed forces. 3. Grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses (except impeachment). 4. Convene Congress in special sessions. 5. Receive ambassadors. 6. Take care that th
powers the president shares with the senate
Make treaties
Appoint ambassadors, judges, and high officials
powers the president shares with congress as a whole
approve legislation
Advice and Consent of the Senate
power of the Senate to give advise and confirm presidential nominations
Bully Pulpit
the president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public
Presidential Popularity
evaluation of a president by voters, usually as measured by a survey question asking the adult population how well they think the president is doing the job
veto message
A message from the president to Congress stating that he will not sign a bill it has passed. Must be produced within ten days of the bill's passage.
pocket veto
A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.
line-item veto
an executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature
executive privilege
The power to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.
U.S. v. Nixon (1974)
Allowed for executive privilege, but not in criminal cases; "Even the President is not above the law;" Watergate.
impoundment of funds
A presidential refusal to spend money appropriated by Congress
signing statement
a presidential document that reveals what the president thinks of a new law and how it ought to be enforced
White House Office
The personal office of the president, which tends to presidential political needs and manages the media.
Executive Office of the President (EOP)
Ten organizations that advise the President. Includes the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisors, and National Security Council. Top positions must be confirmed by Senate.
Cabinent
the group of department heads who serve as the president's chief advisors
Independent Regulatory Agencies
agencies in the executive branch of the federal government formed by Congress to help enforce laws and regulations not covered by the executive departments
25th Amendment (1967)
Presidential succession and presidential disability
Impeachment
A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office
Bureaucracy
A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials
government by proxy
Washington pays state and local governments and private groups to staff and administer federal programs
Patronage
Granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support
Laissez-faire
an economic theory that government should not regulate or interfere with commerce
discretionary authority
The extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws.
competitive service
the government offices to which people are appointed on the basis of merit, as ascertained by a written exam or by applying certain selection criteria
OPM (Office of Personnel Management)
The office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process.
presidential appointments
the power of the U.S. President to choose members of his or her cabinet, ambassadors to other nations, and other officials in his or her administration
non career executive assignments
A form of patronage under the excepted service given to high-ranking members of the regular competitive service, or to persons brought into the civil service at a high level who are advocates of presidential programs.
Pendlton Act
It provided that Federal Government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit and that Government employees be selected through competitive exams. The act also made it unlawful to fire or demote for political reasons employees who were covered by the law. The
Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
recognized that many high level positions in the civil service have important policy making responsibilities and that the president and his cabinet officers ought to have more flexibility in recruiting, assigning, and paying such people.
red tape
complex bureaucratic rules and procedures that must be followed to get something done
Iron Triangle
A close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group
client politics
a policy in which one small group benefits and almost everybody pays
Issue network (iron triangle)
A network of people in Washington, D.C.-based interest groups, on congressional staffs, in universities and think tanks, and in the mass media, who regularly discuss and advocate public policies.
authorization legislation
legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency
Appropriation
A legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency
trust funds
Funds for government programs that are collected and spent outside the regular government budget
Commitee Clearance
the ability of a congressional committee to review and approve certain agency decisions in advance and without passing a law
legislative veto
The authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place. The Supreme Court has held that Congress does not have this power
Outsourcing
A decision by a corporation to turn over much of the responsibility for production to independent suppliers.
for life
How long is a Supreme Court Justice's term?
What are the constitutional requirements to be a supreme court judge?
...
Judicial Review
The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional
judicial restraint
The view that judges should decide cases strictly on the basis of the language of the laws and the Constitution
judicial activism
the view that judges should discern the general principles underlying laws or the Constitution and apply them to modern circumstances
The judiciary
The Least Dangerous Branch
Marbury v. Madison
This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review
14th Amendment
Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws
Court Packing
Where FDR tried to add more members to the Supreme Court to pass his programs.
McCulloch v. Maryland
Supreme Court ruling (1819) confirming the supremacy of national over state government
Warren Court Decisions
The chief justice that overturned Plessy v. Ferguson in Brown v. Board of Education (1954); he was the first justice to help the civil rights movement through judicial activism.
Constitutional court
A federal court authorized by Article III of the Constitution that keeps judges in office during good behavior and prevents their salaries from being reduced. They are the Supreme Court (created by the Constitution) and appellate and district courts creat
district courts
the lowest federal courts; federal trials can be held only here
Court of Appeals
federal courts that hear appeals from district courts; no trials
legislative courts
Courts created by Congress for specialized purposes whose judges do not enjoy the protections of Article III of the Constitution
senatorial courtesy
Presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work.
litmus test
An examination of the political ideology of a nominated judge
dual court system
a court system made up of both federal and state courts
federal-question cases
cases concerning the Constitution, federal laws, or treaties
writ of certiorari
An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up a case for review
in forma pauperis
A method whereby a poor person can have his or her case heard in federal court without charge
Plaintiff
a person who brings a case against another in a court of law.
Standing
a legal rule stating who is authorized to start a lawsuit
soverign immunity
the rule that a citizen cannot sue the government without the government's consent
class action suit
A case brought by someone to help him or her and all others who are similarly situated
amicus curiae
a brief submitted by a "friend of the court
per curiam opinion
a brief, unsigned court opinion
Opinion of the Court
a signed opinion of a majority of the Supreme Court
concurring opinion
a signed opinion in which one or more members agree with the majority view but for different reasons
dissenting opinion
a signed opinion in which one or more justices disagree with the majority view
stare decisis
Let the decision stand; decisions are based on precedents from previous cases
political question
An issue the Supreme Court will allow the executive and legislative branches decide