| A | B |
|---|
| dual court system | A court system made up of both federal and state courts |
| jurisdiction | A court's authority to hear and decide cases |
| exclusive jurisdiction | Authority of only the federal courts or state courts to hear and decide cases |
| concurrent jurisdiction | Authority of both state and federal courts to hear and decide cases |
| original jurisdiction | The authority of a court to hear cases for the first time |
| appellate jurisdiction | The authority of a court to hear a case appealed from a lower court |
| ruling | An official decision by a judge or a court that settles a case and may also establish the meaning of a law |
| opinion | A detailed explanation of the legal thinking behind a court's decision in a case |
| precedent | A ruling that is used as the basis for a judicial decision in a later, similar case |
| litigant | One of the parties involved in a lawsuit |
| tenure | The right to hold an office once a person is confirmed |
| subpoena | An order that requires a person to appear in court |
| judicial review | The power of the Supreme Court to say whether any federal, state, or local law or government action goes against the Constitution |
| constitutional | In accordance with the Constitution |
| nullify | to legally cancel |
| writ of certiorari | An order a higher court issues to a lower court to obtain the records of the lower court in a particular case |
| docket | A court's calendar, showing the schedule of cases it is to hear |
| caseload | A judge's or court's workload of cases in a period of time |
| brief | A written document explaining the position of one side or the other in a case |
| stare decisis | The practice of using earlier judicial rulings as a basis for deciding cases |
| concurring opinion | A statement written by a justice who votes with the majority, but for different reasons than the others |
| dissenting opinion | A statement written by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion, presenting his or her own opinion |
| unanimous opinion | A Supreme Court ruling on a case in which all justices agree on the ruling |
