| A | B |
|---|
| litigants | a person engaged in a lawsuit |
| indictments | a formal charge by a grand jury |
| verdict | decision |
| amicus curiae | Latin word "friend of the court" a written brief from an individual or group claiming to have information useful to a courts consideraton of a case |
| writ of certiorari | an order from the Supreme COurt to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review |
| stare decisis | a latin term meaning "let the decision stand" the principle that once the COurt rules on a case its decision serves as precedent on which to base other decisions |
| precedent | a model on which to base later decisions or actions |
| brief | A written statement setting forth the legal arguments, revelant facts and precedents supporting one side of a case |
| nationalization | The legal process by which a person is granted citizenship |
| prior restraint | Government censorshop of information before it is published or broadcast |
| shield laws | a law that gives the reporters some means of protection against being forced to disclose confidential information or sources in state courts |
| gag order | an order by a judge barring the press from publishing certain types of information about a pending court case |
| petty crime | A minor crime usually punished by a ticket rather than being arrested |
| misdemeanor crime | a minor crime that is usually punished by a fine or jail sentence or lesss than one year |
| felony | a major crime |
| Sunshine act of 1976 | Congress helped correct the situation of holding secret meetings of congress to make meetings open to the public |
| Contracts | a set of voluntary promises, enforceable by the law between 2 or more parties |
| complaint | a legal document filed with the court that hs jurisdiction over the problem |
| Torts/civil wrongs | A wrongful act other than breach of contract for which an injured party has the right to sue |
| affidavit | a written statement to prove statements of fact sign be a witness under oath |
| ordinances | laws |
| summons | an official notice of a lawsuit that includes the date,time and place of the initial court appearance |
| injunction | An order that will stop a particular action or enforce a rule or regulation |
| family law | law that deals with the relationships among family memebers including divorce, custody of children,marriage |
| property law | law that has to do with whatever is attached to or growing on it such as houses and trees |
