Chapter 14 Flashcards
Criminal cases
Court cases involving a criminal or violation of public order
Civil cases
Court cases that involve a private dispute arising from such matters as accidents, contractual obligations, divorce, and bodily injuries or harm
US district courts
Courts within the lowest tier of the 3 Tiered federal court system, cords where litigation begins
US Court of Appeals
Courts within the second tier of the Three tiered federal system, to which decisions of the district courts in the federal agencies may be a peeled for review
US Supreme Court
Known as SCOTUS  For short, the US Supreme Court is the highest court in the US judicial system
Plea bargain
A defendant’s admission of guilt in exchange for less severe punishment
Precedent 
A judicial rolling that serves as the basis for the ruling in subsequent case
Stare decisis
Let the decision stand, decision making according to the precedent 
Docket
A courts agenda
Solicitor general
The third highest official of the US Department of justice, and the person who represents the national government before the US Supreme Court
Amicus cruise brief
A brief filed by an individual or group that is not a party to a legal action but has an interest in it
Original jurisdiction
The authority of a court to hear a case before any other court does
Appellate jurisdiction
The authority of a court to hear cases that have been tried, decided, or re-examined in other courts
Rule of four
An unwritten rule that requires at least four justices to agree that a case warrants consideration before it is reviewed by the US Supreme Court
Judgment
The judicial decision in a court case
