click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Chapter Six Vocab
Vocabulary from chapter six AP Gov.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Original Jurisdiction | The authority of a court to hear a case first, which includes finding the facts in the case |
| Appellate Jurisdiction | The authority of a court to hear and review decisions made by lower courts in that system |
| Federalist No. 78 | Argument by Alexander Hamilton that the federal judiciary would be unlikely to infringe upon rights and liberties but would serve as a check on the other two branches |
| Judicial Review | The authority of the Supreme Court to strike down a law or executive action if it conflicts with the Constitution |
| Criminal Law | A category of law covering actions that harm the community |
| Civil Law | A category of law covering cases involving private rights and relationships between individuals and groups |
| Federal District Courts | The lowest level of the federal judiciary; these courts usually have original jurisdiction in cases that start at the federal level |
| Federal Courts Of Appeal | The middle level of the federal Judiciary; these courts review and hear appeals from the federal district courts |
| Precedent | A judicial decision that guides future courts in handling similar cases |
| Stare Decisis | The practice of letting a previous legal decision stand |
| Majority Opinion | A binding Supreme Court opinion, which serves as precedent for future cases |
| Concurring Opinion | An opinion that agrees with the majority decision, offering different or additional reasoning, that does not serve as precedent |
| Dissenting Opinion | An opinion that disagrees with the majority opinion and does not serve as precedent |
| Judicial Restraint | A philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should be cautious in overturning laws |
| Judicial Activism | A philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should wield the power of judicial review, sometimes bold new policies |