| A | B |
|---|
| trial | an official hearing that examine the legal issues between parties |
| criminal case | a case begun by the government against an individual or group |
| dissenting opinion | a report by a justice who disagrees with the majority of the court |
| defendant | the party accused of committing a crime |
| constitution | the fundamental principles and laws that describe and limit the governments of certain societies |
| verdict | the formal decision of the jury regarding the facts of the case |
| procedure | rules used to conduct a trial in an orderly fashion |
| jury | a group of persons who decide innocence or guilt |
| majority opinion | the courts's official ruling on the cases and the reasons for it |
| lawsuit | a legal action or proceeding in the court |
| judge | public officer who presides over the court |
| plaintiff | the party bringing suit against another |
| civil case | a legal dispute between two or more individuals |
| testimony | oral statements made by witnesses in a court |
| laws | the rules and regulations established by society to regulate the conduct of its members |
| precedent (I) | judicial decision that may be used as a guide in deciding similar cases in the future |
| appeals | the review by the higher court of a trial held in the lower court |
| indictment | a formal accusation of a crime determined by a grand jury |
| evidence | materials used in court to help prove a point |
| habeas corpus | a legal principle restricting the illegal imprisonment of an individual |
| intent of the law | what the legislature intended the law to be |
| misdemeanor | a crime punishable by a fine or a jail term of less than one year |
| precedent (II) | judicial decision that may be used as a guide in deciding a similar case in the future |
| felony | a serious crime punishable by a prison term, one year or more |
| letter of the law | what the law actually means, as it is written |
| principal | the person who commits a crime |
| accomplice | someone who helps another person commit a crime |
| bigamy | marrying a person while you are still married to someone else |
| homicide | the killing of one human being by another |
| conspiracy | an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime |
| first degree murder | a killing that is premeditated, deliberate, and done with malice |
| second degree murder | a killing that is deliberate and done with malice |
| assault | any attempt or threat to carry out a physical attack upon another person |
| vandalism | the willful destruction or damage to the property of another |
| larceny | the unlawful taking and carrying away of the property of another with the intent to steal it |
| robbery | the unlawful taking of property from a person's possession by force or intimidation |
| extortion | the use of threats to obtain the property of another (blackmail) |
| felony murder rule | a killing that takes place during the commission of certain crimes (arson, rape, etc.) |
| forgery | the altering of a written document with intent to defraud |
| alibi | the defendent was somewhere else at the time the crime was committed |
| common law | refers to all of the customs, legal traditions, and court decisions |
| acquittal | in a criminal case, a finding that the defendant is not guilty |
| arraignment | procedure in which a person is brought to court and officially told of the charges against him |
| crime | an act or omission which is forbidden by law |
| exclusionary rule | evidence obtained in violation of an individual's rights |
| case law | laws made by the courts |
| Bill of Rights | the first ten amendments to the Constitution |
| Fifth Amendment | protects a person against "self-incrimination" |
| bail | sum of money set by a judge which is paid to the court on behalf of a person accused of a crime |
| due process | idea that every person accused of a crime is entitled to a fair trial |
| double jeopardy | trying a person again for a crime of which he/she has already been found not guilty |
| challenge for cause | lawyer's request to the judge that a person not be selected as a juror because of bias |
| civil law | laws which govern private transactions amongst individuals |
| booking | formal listing by the police of the name of a person and the crime for which he is accused |
| Eighth Amendment | excessive fines shall not be required, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted |
