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Govt - Topic 13
Govt - Topic 13 Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| popular sovereignty | a government that exists only with the consent of the governed |
| limited government | basic principle of American government, which states that government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away; see constitutionalism, popular sovereignty |
| initiative | a process in which a certain number of qualified voters sign petitions in favor of a proposed statute or constitutional amendment, which then goes directly to the ballot |
| fundamental law | laws of basic and lasting importance which may not easily be changed |
| statutory law | a law passed by the legislature |
| police power | authority of each State to act to protect and promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of its people |
| referendum | a process by which a legislative measure is referred to the State's voters for final approval or rejection |
| item veto | a governor may veto one or more items in a bill without rejecting the entire measure |
| clemency | mercy or leniency granted to an offender by a chief executive |
| pardon | release from the punishment or legal consequences of a crime, by the President (in a federal case) or a governor (in a State case) |
| commutation | the power to reduce (commute) the length of a sentence or fine for a crime |
| reprieve | an official postponement of the execution of a sentence |
| parole | the release of a prisoner short of the complete term of the original sentence |
| common law | an unwritten law made by a judge that has developed over centuries from those generally accepted ideas of right and wrong that have gained judicial recognition |
| precedent | court decision that stands as an example to be followed in future, similar cases |
| criminal law | the portion of the law that defines public wrongs and provides for their punishment |
| felony | a serious crime which may be punished by a heavy fine and/or imprisonment or even death |
| misdemeanor | a lesser offense, punishable by a small fine and/or a short jail term |
| civil law | the portion of the law relating to human conduct, to disputes between private parties, and to disputes between private parties and the government |
| jury | a body of persons selected according to law who hear evidence and decide questions of fact in a court case |
| information | formal charge filed by a prosecutor without the action of a grand jury |
| justice of the peace | a judge who stands on the lowest level of the State judicial system and presides over justice courts |
| warrant | a court order authorizing, or making legal, some official action such as a search or an arrest |
| preliminary hearing | the first step in a major criminal prosecution where the judge decides if the evidence is enough to hold the person for action by the grand jury or the prosecutor |
| appellate jurisdiction | the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) courts |
Created by:
brittlloyd
Popular American Government sets