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judicial branch voca
judicial branch vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| crime | any act that breaks the law and for which a punishment has been established |
| criminal law | part of the legal system that deals with crimes, or actions that are harmful or dangerous to society |
| civil law | resolving disagreements between individuals or groups, not against the state |
| common law | Law that develops from judges decisions |
| precedent | an earlier court decision that guides judges decisions in later cases |
| constitutional law | Law based on the U.S constitution and supreme court decisions |
| appeal | The rights of a convicted person to ask higher court to review their case |
| juisdiction | the area of authority to hear a court case and enforce the law |
| district court | lower federal courts that have original jurisdiction in most cases involving federal law |
| courts of appeals | federal courts that review decisions appealed from district court |
| justices | Title given to judges of the supreme court |
| judicial review | the power of the supreme court, it determines if a law passed bu congress or a presidential action goes against the constitution |
| opinion | A written statement by the U.S supreme court explaining its reasoning behind a decision |
| concurring opinion | A statement written by a supreme court justice who agrees with the majority's decision but for different reasons |
| dissenting opinion | statement written by, supreme court, who disagrees with majority's decision |