Chapter 18 And 20 Vocab

Front 1

Inferior Courts

Back 1

the lower federal courts

Front 2

Jurisdiction

Back 2

the authority of a court to hear (try to decide) a case

Front 3

exclusive jurisdiction

Back 3

those cases can be heard only in the federal courts

Front 4

concurrent jurisdiction

Back 4

power shared by federal and state courts to hear certain cases

Front 5

plaintiff

Back 5

the person who files suit

Front 6

defendant

Back 6

the person whom the complaint is against

Front 7

original jurisdiction

Back 7

the power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court

Front 8

appellate jurisdiction

Back 8

the authority of a court to review decisioins of inferior (lower) courts

Front 9

criminal case

Back 9

a case in which a defendent is tried for commiting a crime as defined by the law

Front 10

civil case

Back 10

a case involving a noncriminal matter such as a contract dispute

Front 11

docket

Back 11

list of cases to be heard

Front 12

writ of certiorari

Back 12

an order by the court directing a lower court to send up the record in a given case for its review

Front 13

certificate

Back 13

method of putting a case before the supreme court. used when a lower court is not sure about the procedure or rule of law that should apply in a case ans asks the supreme court to certify the answer to a specific question

Front 14

majority opinion

Back 14

officially calle the opinion of the court. it announces the courts opinion and sets out a reasoning upon which it is based

Front 15

precedent

Back 15

court decision that stands as an example to be followed in future, similar cases

Front 16

concurring opinion

Back 16

to add or emphasize a point that was not made in a majority opinion

Front 17

dissenting opinion

Back 17

written explanations of the views of one or more judges who disagree with (dissent from) a decision reached by a majority of the court

Front 18

redress

Back 18

satisfaction of a claim, payment

Front 19

courts-martial

Back 19

military courts

Front 20

civilian tribunal

Back 20

a court operating as part of the judicial branch, entirly seperate from the military establishment

Front 21

due process

Back 21

the government must act fairly and in accord with established rules in all that it does

Front 22

substantive due process

Back 22

the government must create fair policies and laws

Front 23

procedural due process

Back 23

the government must employ fair procedures and methods

Front 24

police power

Back 24

the authority of each state to act tp protect and promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of its people

Front 25

search warrent

Back 25

a court order authorizing a search

Front 26

involuntary servitude

Back 26

forced labor

Front 27

discrimination

Back 27

bias,unfairness

Front 28

writs of assistance

Back 28

blanket serch warrent with which British customs officials had invaded private homes to search for smuggled goods

Front 29

probable cause

Back 29

reasonable grounds, a reasonable suspision of a crime

Front 30

exclusionary rule

Back 30

evidence gained as the result of an illigal act by police cannot be used against the person from whom it was seized

Front 31

writ of habeas corpus

Back 31

a court order which prevents unjust arrests and imprisonments

Front 32

bill of attainder

Back 32

a legislative act that inflicts punishment without a court trial

Front 33

ex post facto law

Back 33

a law applied to an act committed before its passage

Front 34

grand jury

Back 34

the formal device by which a person can be accused of a serious crime

Front 35

indictment

Back 35

a formal complaint before a grand jury which charges the accused with one or more crimes

Front 36

double jeopardy

Back 36

part of the 5th Amendment which says that no person can be put in jeopardy of life or limb twice.

Front 37

bench trial

Back 37

a trial in which the judge alone hears the case

Front 38

Miranda Rule

Back 38

the constitutional rights which police must read to a suspect before questioning can occur

Front 39

bail

Back 39

a sum of money that the accused may be required to post (deposit with the court) as a guarantee that he or she wil appear in the court at the proper time.

Front 40

preventive detention

Back 40

a law which allows federal judges to order that an accused felon be held, without bail, when there is a good reason to believe that he or she will commit yet another serious crime before trial

Front 41

capital punishment

Back 41

the death penalty

Front 42

treason

Back 42

betrayal of one's country