Term | Definition |
Arrest | • To seize or hold under the authority of the law. |
Accused | • someone who is charged with a crime in a court of law. |
Appeal | • to ask a higher court to review an earlier decision. |
Appellate | • the authority to hear an appeal of a decision by another court. |
Arraignment | • A hearing in which a suspect is charged with a crime and pleads guilt or not guilty. |
Bail | • Money paid to the court by an accused person to guarantee that he/she will appear for trial. |
Circuit court | • court of appeals in the federal court system. |
Civil case | • cases dealing with disputes between individuals -usually involving property or money. |
Compensation | • something received as an equivalent for debt, loss, injury, or suffering. |
Criminal law | • the group of laws that tell which acts are crimes, how the accused person should be tried in court, and how crimes should be punished. |
Defendant | • A person who is accused of a crime or who is being sued. |
District court | • the trial courts in the federal court system. |
Due process | • a process by which the government must treat accused persons fairly according to rules established by law. |
Felony | • Serious crime such as robbery or murder. |
Indictment | • A formal charge issued by a grand jury that names the suspect and states the charges against the suspect. |
Judicial review | • the Supreme Court’s power to overturn any law or executive action that it decides is in conflict with the Constitution. |
Jurisdiction | • the right or authority to hear a case. |
Juvenile | • a person under the age of 18. |
Misdemeanor | • A relatively minor crime such as shoplifting. |
Plaintiff | • Person or group that files a lawsuit in a civil case. |
Plea | • Statement by the accused saying whether they are guilty or not guilty. |
Probable Cause | • A reasonable belief that a crime has been committed. |
Prosecution | • A government body that brings a charge against the accused in criminal law. |
Verdict | • The decision of a judge or jury. |
Warrant | • A legal document issued by a court, giving police permission to make an arrest, seizure, or a search. |