| A | B |
|---|
| law | enforceable rules that goven how individuals deal with each other and how ech individual interacts with society as a whole |
| common law | the body of judge made law |
| constitution | a written document that spells out and limits the power of a goverment |
| statute | a law originated by the US Congress or a state legislative body. |
| administrative law | the branch of public law concerned with the powers and actions of administrative agencies |
| precedent | a court decsion that provides an example for deciding later cases involving similar facts |
| stare decis | the practice of deciding new cases with reference to former decisions or precedents |
| adversary system | a legal system in which one parties oppose each other |
| plaintiff | the person who brings an action in court against another person |
| defendant | the person against whom an action in court is brought |
| jury | a group of people chosen to decide questions of fact in legal actions |
| inquisitorial system | a legal system that allows the judge to investigate, question witnesses, and seek out evidence |
| criminal law | law related to wrongs committed against the public, punishable by fines, imprisonment or both |
| civil law | law related to the duties that exist between persons or between persons and the goverment |
| state law | law consisting of state constitutions, statutes originated by state legislatures, regulations, and decisions of state courts |
| federal law | Law consisting of the US Constitution, statutes originated by Congress, and presidential orders, regulations created by federal administrative agencies, and decisions of the federal courts. |
| Procedural law | legal rules for processing civil and criminal cases through the court system |
| Substative law | Law that defines duties, establishes rights and prohibits wrongs |
| statute of limitations | Statute that requires anyone claiming a right against another to begin proceedings to enforce that right within a certain time period |
| remedy | Relief given to a wronged party |
| code | a collection of statutes or rules on a particular subject |
| Uniform Commerical Code - UCC | A uniform act enacted in part by all fifty states to create certainty in the area of commerce between states |
| citation | information identifying legal research material |
| case law | rules of law announced in court decsions |
| opinion | the written decision of the court |
| unanimous opinion | a written court decision on which the judges deciding the case all agreed |
| majority opinion | a written court decision outling the views of the majority of the judges deciding the case |
| concurring opinion | a written opinion of a judge who agrees with the majority but feels strongly about making a point that was not made in the decision |
| dissenting opinon | a written opinion of a judge who does not agee with the majority opinion |
| judge or justice | the person who presides over the court |
| appellant | a partywho appeals a case to another court |
