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Judicial Branch
Vocabulary
| Term | Definition | key/words |
|---|---|---|
| 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 us constitution and supreme court decisions | |
| appeal | the right of a convicted person to ask a higher court to review their case | |
| jurisdiction | the area of authority to hear a court case and enforce the law | |
| district courts | lower federal courts that have original jurisdiction in most involving federal law | |
| courts of appeals | federal courts that review decisions appealed from district courts | |
| justices | title given to judges of the supreme court | |
| judicial review | the power of the supreme court it determines if a law passed by congress or a presidential action goes against the constitution | |
| opinion | a written statement by the us 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 | a statement written by a supreme court justice who disagrees with the majority s decision |