| A | B |
|---|
| ensure that the laws are fairly enforced, interpret the laws | 2 main jobs of the judicial branch |
| criminal cases | type of cases in which a jury decides a verdict |
| district | type of courts that are trial courts |
| between 2 private parties, between a private party and the govt., between govts. | 3 kinds of civil disputes |
| U.S. Supreme Court | only court established by the U.S. Constitution |
| Court of Appeals | Circuit Courts are this type of courts |
| Federal courts of appeals, Courts of Appeals, Appellate Courts | 3 other names for circuit courts |
| dual court system | court system made up of both federal and state courts |
| 1. Every person accused of breaking the law has a right to a public trial and a lawyer. 2. The court will provide a lawyer if you can't afford one; 3. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty; 4. Every person has the right to ask the courts to review his or her case. | 4 principles of the U.S. court system |
| district and circuit courts | courts that make up the lower courts in the federal court system |
| original jurisdiction | type of jurisdiction district courts usually have |
| civil and criminal cases | type of cases district courts hear |
| losing side | Which side can appeal the district court's decision in a criminal case? |
| appellate jurisdiction | type of jurisdiction circuit courts have |
| original jurisdiction | authority of the court to hear cases for the first time |
| appellate jurisdiction | authority to review the fairness of a case appealed from a lwer court |
| ruling | official decision which settles a case and helps establish the meaning of a law |
| uphold the results of the trial; reverse the results of the trial, remand the case | 3 possible rulings an appellate court judge can make |
| court's opinion | detailed explanation of the legal thinking behind the court's decision |
| precedent | legal ruling which is used as the basis for a judicial decision in a later, similar case |
| litigants | parties involved in a lawsuit |
| at least 2 | number of judges that district courts have |
| 9 | number of justices on the Supreme Court |
| federal judges | chief decision makers in the judicial branch |
| so they can be free from public or political pressures when they hear cases | reason federal judges have their jobs for life |
| tenure | right to hold an office once a person is confirmed |
| magistrate judges | Who issues search warrants? |
| a majority of the federal judges in a district | appoints magistrate judges |
| prosecute people accused of breaking federal law; represent the government in civil suits | 2 jobs of a U.S. attorney |
| federal judges, U.S. attorney, U.S. marshall, supreme court justices | court officials appointed by the president and approved by the Senate |
| U.S. Marshal | protects jurors and keeps order in the federal courts |
| magistrate judge | person who decides whether people under arrest should be released on bail |
| U.S. Marshal | takes convicted persons to prison |
| subpoena | order that requires a person to appear in court |
| cases involving the Constitution, cases involving acts of Congress, cases involving treaties with other nations | 3 types of cases the Supreme Court hear |
| judicial review | power of the Supreme Court to say whether any law or government action goes against the Constitution |
| Court cannot initiate action, all cases taken by the court must be legal disputes, the court does not usually deal with political matters, the court has no resources to enforce their decisions | 4 limits on the Supreme Court |
| Constitution | If there is a conflict between the Constitution and any other law, who rules |
| Writ of certiorari | appeals request that means "TO MAKE MORE CERTAIN" in Latin |
| 4 out of 9 | number of justices that have to agree to accept a case before the Supreme Court hears it |
| Court docket | calendar of cases to be heard by the Supreme Court |
| Stare decisis | Latin term that means "let the decision stand" and refers to the practice of precedent |
| chief justice or the longest-serving member of the majority | assigns the writingof the Court majority opinion |
| justice may choose to write a concurring opinion | what happens when a justice votes with the majority, but for different reasons than the other justices |
| dissenting opinion | statement written by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion, presenting his or her own opinion |
| Chief Justice John Roberts | current chief justice of the Supreme Court |
| judges should not make decisions left to the legislative and executive branches; original intent of the Constitution is fixed, and can only be changed through the amendment process | meaning of judicial conservatism |
| The Constitution is a living document which, through the process of judicial review, is open to new interpretation and modernization | meaning of judicial liberalism |
