Chapter 16 The Judicial Branch Flashcards
Mediation
A way of dissolving disputes without going to court, in which a third party (the mediator) helps two or more sides negotiate a settlement
Litigation
The conduct of a lawsuit
District Courts
The first level of federal courts, which actually try the cases. Each decision is based not on a statute but on previous judicial decisions
Circuit Courts
The second stage of federal courts, which review the trial record of cases decided in district court to ensure they were settled properly
Judicial Activism
A vigorous or active approach to reviewing the other branches of government
Judicial Restraint
Reluctance to interfere with elected branches, only doing so as a last resort
Common Law
A system of law developed by judges in deciding cases over the centuries
Precedent
Judicial decisions that offer a guide to similar cases in the future
Civil Law
Cases that involve disputes between two parties
Criminal Law
Cases in which someone is charged with breaking the law
Plaintiff
The party who brings the action in a lawsuit
Defendant
The party who is sued in a court decision
Amicus Curiae
A brief submitted by a person or group who is not a direct party to the case
Rule or Four
The requirement that at least four Supreme Court judges must agree to hear a case before it comes before the court
Majority Opinion
The official statement of the Supreme Court (or a district court, since they also have multiple justices)
