The American Justice System Review

Front 1

What is the part of the Preamble that shows the U.S. will have laws that give a safe, orderly society?

Back 1

Insure domestic tranquility

Front 2

Criminal Law

Back 2

Anything that deals with or defines the punishments for a criminal offense (ex: theft, murder)

Front 3

Civil Law

Back 3

Anything that deals with the relationships between private individuals and/or groups (ex: a landlord and tenant fighting over an insect problem)

Front 4

Plaintiff

Back 4

The alleged victim in the case

Front 5

Defendant

Back 5

The alleged wrongdoer in the case

Front 6

Who is the plaintiff represented by?

Back 6

Prosecutor

Front 7

Who is the defendant represented by?

Back 7

Defense attorney

Front 8

Penal Code

Back 8

A long list of criminal offenses and their respective punishments written down by a state

Front 9

What do most criminal offenses come with?

Back 9

Mandatory sentences

Front 10

What do civil cases begin with?

Back 10

When someone files a lawsuit

Front 11

Plea Bargain

Back 11

When the defendant says he/she is guilty, but receives a lesser punishment; saves time, effort, and money

Front 12

Incarceration

Back 12

Time in jail, prison, or a youth detention center

Front 13

Probation

Back 13

When a convicted person must behave in a certain way to get a suspended sentence (ex: get drug treatment, stay away from a certain place/person)

Front 14

What is the difference between unsupervised and supervised probation?

Back 14

Unsupervised probation is where no one is checking in on the convicted criminal, while supervised probation is where the convicted criminal must report to a probation officer who monitor him/her on a regular basis

Front 15

What does a grand jury do?

Back 15

Decides if there is enough evidence to move forward in a case

Front 16

How can you get out of jury duty?

Back 16

You can show you aren't qualified to serve, prove you have just cause for being dismissed, fail the process of voir dire, or be too young

Front 17

Voir Dire

Back 17

Attorneys from both sides ask you questions to see if you are biased one way or another

Front 18

Sequestered

Back 18

You are isolated from the rest of society to make sure you are not influenced by outside factors (ex: media coverage)

Front 19

**** Make sure you look at the section on the costs of serving on a jury **** (Free question; answer: 21 :D)

Back 19

21

Front 20

Adversarial System

Back 20

Basically an argument between 2 sides (plaintiff vs. defendant)

Front 21

Issues of Fact

Back 21

The decision should be overturned because certain facts may have been left out of the case (ex: new evidence)

Front 22

Issues of Law

Back 22

The decision should be overturned because trial procedures were not followed properly or the defendant's rights were violated in some way

Front 23

What do appellate courts (courts of appeal) use instead of a jury?

Back 23

They have a panel of judges that hear arguments/ make decisions

Front 24

Majority Opinion

Back 24

The written statement that presents the majority side's decision and how it was reached

Front 25

Dissenting Opinion

Back 25

The written statement of the judges who voted differently based on their different conclusions

Front 26

Writ of Certiorari

Back 26

The power of the higher courts to request lower court decision to be sent to them for review

Front 27

Retribution

Back 27

Punishing a person convicted of a crime

Front 28

Deterrence

Back 28

Meant to prevent future crimes

Front 29

Rehabilitation

Back 29

Transforming criminals into law abiding citizens

Front 30

State Prison

Back 30

For serving more than 1 year in prison

Front 31

County Jail

Back 31

For serving less than 1 year

Front 32

3-Strike Laws

Back 32

You are sentenced for a long time if convicted of 3 or more serious laws

Front 33

What is the most serious form of retribution?

Back 33

Death penalty (also capital punishment)