click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Judicial Branch
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Crime | Break law, punishment |
| Criminal law | Legal system, deals with crimes or actions that are harmful or dangerous to society |
| Civil law | Resolving disagreements between individuals or groups |
| Common law | Develops from judges decisions |
| Precedent | Earlier court decision that guides judges' decisions in later cases |
| Constitutional law | Based on the US Constitution and Supreme Court decisions |
| Appeal | Right of a convicted person to ask a higher court to review their case |
| Jurisdiction | Area of authority to hear a court case and enforce the law |
| District courts | Lower Federal courts that have original jurisdiction in most cases involving federal law. |
| Courts of appeals | Federal courts, review decisions appealed from district courts |
| Justices | Title given to judges of the Supreme Court |
| Judicial review | Power of the Supreme Court; 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 written statement by the US 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 |