2024 CJ midterm

Question 1

Law

Answer 1

The rules and regulations made and enforced by government that regulate the conduct of people within a society

Question 2

Jurisprudence

Answer 2

the science or philosophy of law

Question 3

Justice

Answer 3

fairness, moral rightness; the proper administration of the law; and the fair and equitable treatment of all individuals under the law

Question 4

Criminal Law

Answer 4

regulates public conduct and sets out duties owed to society. Criminal cases are considered crimes against society and usually end in jail or prison time.

Question 5

Rules

Answer 5

Rules that are made of enforced by the government are called “laws”, private parties make “rules”

Question 6

Laws and values: moral, social, economic and political

Answer 6

Moral values: concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character.
Political values: reflect the relationship between government and individuals.(voting)
Social values: concerns issues that are important to society(laws relating to respect: harassment)
Environmental values: regulates the impact of human activities on the environment( activities affecting air, water, protection of animals and plants)

Question 7

Felony

Answer 7

a serious criminal offense punishable by a prison sentence of more than one year (theft, murder, assault, fraud, etc).

Question 8

Misdemeanor

Answer 8

a criminal offense, less serious than a felony, punishable by a prison sentence of one year or less (reckless driving, petty theft)

Question 9

Infraction

Answer 9

petty offenses that are punishable by fines, not jail time. (speed ticket, old ticket on car, street cleaning)

Question 10

Civil Law

Answer 10

usually deal with private rights of individuals, groups, or businesses, ( all laws that do not involve criminal matters.) People usually sue for an amount of money to make up for the amount of injury or loss they have suffered.

Question 11

Civil Action

Answer 11

a lawsuit brought by one or more individuals against another person, a business, or the government.

Question 12

Prosecutor

Answer 12

the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal trial against the defendant

Question 13

Defendant

Answer 13

the person against whom a claim is made

Question 14

Litigate

Answer 14

to carry on a lawsuit.

Question 15

Plaintiff

Answer 15

the injured party who brings a civil action against the wrongdoer; the party who initiates a lawsuit by filing a complaint demanding damages

Question 16

Defendant

Question 17

District Attorney/Prosecutor

Answer 17

the person against whom a claim is made

Question 18

Defense Attorney/Public Defender

Answer 18

represents persons facing criminal charges; defends people accused of a crime.

Question 19

Citation

Answer 19

a directive, issued by a law enforcement officer or other person authorized by statute, that a person appear in court and answer a misdemeanor or infraction charge or charges.

Question 20

Ordinance

Answer 20

a public regulation passed by a municipal government

Question 21

Blue Laws

Answer 21

a law prohibiting certain activities, such as shopping, on a Sunday.

Question 22

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

Answer 22

the level of proof required to convict a person of a crime. It does not mean “convinced 100 percent”, but does mean there are no reasonable doubts as to guilt.

Question 23

Preponderance of the Evidence

Answer 23

usually the standard of proof used in civil suit; the burden of proof that a party must meet in order to win the lawsuit. To win, a party must provide evidence that is more convincing than the other side’s evidence.

Question 24

Opening Statement

Answer 24

an initial speech made by each side in a trial, summarizing the main points of the case they will make for the jury.

Question 25

Closing Statement

Answer 25

the final address to the jury by the attorney for each side of a case in which the attorney usually summarizes the evidence and his or her client’s position (final argument, summation)

Question 26

Eyewitness

Answer 26

a person who has firsthand knowledge of an event from seeing the event

Question 27

Character Witness

Answer 27

someone who knew the victim, the defendant, or other people involved in the case

Question 28

Expert Witness

Answer 28

a person with specialized knowledge, skills, education, or experience in a particular field who is called upon to provide their expertise in legal proceedings to assist the court with understanding complex technical or scientific issues.

Question 29

Arrest

Answer 29

To take a person suspected of a crime into custody

Question 30

Arrest Warrant

Answer 30

A court-ordered document authorizing the police to arrest an individual on a specific charge.

Question 31

Probable cause

Answer 31

A reasonable belief, known personally or through reliable sources, that a person has committed a crime.

Question 32

Reasonable Suspicion

Answer 32

Evidence that justifies an officer in stopping and questioning an individual believed to be involved in criminal activity; based on less evidence than probable cause but more than a mere hunch.

Question 33

Search

Answer 33

an exploratory investigation by a government agent, conducted usually for the purpose of finding evidence of unlawful activity or guilt (intrudes on an individual’s reasonable expectation of privacy)

Question 34

Search Warrant

Answer 34

is a court order issued by a judge or magistrate (judicial officer), giving the police power to search a person or enter a building to search for and seize items related to a crime.

Question 35

Constable

Answer 35

an officer of the peace, having police and minor judicial functions, usually in a small town, rural district, etc.

Question 36

Seizure

Answer 36

“the taking” by law enforcement officers of potential evidence in a criminal case, several meanings:

Question 37

Affiant

Answer 37

the person who makes and subscribes ( signing an agreement ) an affidavit.

Question 38

Affidavit

Answer 38

a written statement of facts sworn or made under oath (before someone authorized to administer and oath)

Question 39

Warrantless searches

Answer 39

A search that is part of, or incident to, a lawful arrest.

Question 40

Exclusionary Rule

Answer 40

a legal rule that generally prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence against the defendant at trial;