Chapter 2 Flashcards

1
Q

Courts

A

Represent the primary mechanisms for enforcement of laws

provide the muscle for federal regulatory systems such as antitrust, securities law and environment regulations

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2
Q

Trial Courts

A

such as the US District courts and similar state courts, have the first responsibility to consider legal disputes.

determine
1. question of law
2.question of fact

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3
Q

questions of law

A

which are applicable to any dispute on a preliminary basis; this is accomplished by the judge

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4
Q

questions of facts

A

true facts underlying the dispute, sorting through divergent claims of the litigating parties and settling on a conclusion as to why actually happened; this its accomplish either by a jury or by a judge depending on the type of matter involved and choices exercised by parties

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5
Q

appellate courts

A

consider assertion by parties that the trial court applied improper or wrong law, that is questions of law
do not consider questions of facts

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6
Q

United States district courts

A

are the primary trial court for federal matters and all federal matters are initiated here

each district is allotted a number of judges by Congress, depending on case load

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7
Q

Magistrate Courts

A

are positioned bellow district court and handle only certain matters delegated down by the District court.

they are considered to be lower level courts, handling less difficult or important and more routine matters

not organic

judges serve limited terms, not lifetime

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8
Q

Circuit courts of appeals

A

are appellate courts to which parties who dispute the finding of a district court can appeal.

are higher levels courts than district courts and represent the first level of appeal for decisions appealed from the district courts.

appointed for a lifetime

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9
Q

the United States supreme court

A

is the appellate court of last resort in the federal system
Justices must hear certain limited sorts cases automatically but in most cases may decide other or not hear an appeal form the circuit court.

typically heard by all 9 justices

appointment for a lifetime

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10
Q

Bankruptcy courts

A

decisions of a bankruptcy judge are appealable torte circuit court of appeals.

serve a limited, not lifetime terms

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11
Q

Court of claims

A

is an unusual court created by the Congress to adjudicate claims by citizens agains the United States.
compensation when United States exercise eminent domain

serve limited terms

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12
Q

Administrative Judges

A

Certain agencies have the power to utilize _______ to resolve

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13
Q

Administrative Judges

A

Certain agencies have the power to utilize _______ to resolveue

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14
Q

Litigations

A

Disputes are resolved in an enforceable manner in courts

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15
Q

Federal rules of civil procedures

A

defines mandatory process for the litigation of all federal civil matters

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16
Q

Federal rules of criminal procedures

A

mandatory process for the litigation of all criminal matters

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17
Q

Federal rules of evidence

A

govern the admissibly of evidence at the federal trials with regard to all matters

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18
Q

Jurisdiction

A

is the principle that asks whether a court has the legal power to hear a particular matter.

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19
Q

venu

A

asks which court among those having jurisdiction is the best courts to hear the matter

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20
Q

Pleadings

A

are papers filed by counsel to the parties, which activate, frame and define litigations.

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21
Q

Complaint

A

is the document filed by the plaintiff (the person starting the litigations) to being the lawsuit

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22
Q

Answer

A

is the document filed by the defendant (the party being sued) in response to the complaint to admit or deny the allegations made by the plaintiff in the complaint

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23
Q

Counterclaim

A

if the defendant desires to to sue the plaintiff in response
alleging a suit against the plaintiff; the plaintiff must then file an answer to the _______

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24
Q

Motions

A

which are request made by one party to the court requesting certain action.

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25
Motions to dismiss
arguing that the court should throw out the lawsuit because it is somewhat legally deficient Defendent
26
Motion of Summary Judgement
Either party claiming that there is no real dispute as the facts and asking for the court to decide the case without a trial.
27
Criminal Matter
Grand Jury Indictment
28
grandy Jury (true Bill)
A prosecution must be initiated by a finding made by a )_____ determining that probable cause exists to believe that a crime has been committed and that the defendant committed that crime
29
Indictment
the prosecutors files which is a document similar to a complaint in a civil matter a court than makes a determination concerning the probable cause that a crime has been committed and that the defendant committed the crime
30
Discovery
is the process whereby parties can investigate claims using the power of the court to compel disclosure of information; discovery also allows each party to learn all information known to the other side
31
Deposition (discovery)
where one party compels either another party or any witness to come answer questions under oath in advance of the trial occur prior to the trail and while they are similar to witness testimony given at the trial , there is no judge present to rule on evidential questions; for this reason, all objections to questions in ________ are reserved to trial, and witnesses generally are required to answer all questions pending evidential ruling later at trial
32
Interrogatories (discovery)
Where one party submits written questions to another; a written answer must then be filed by the party receiving the ______
33
Request for Production of Documents (discovery)
where a party is required to produce for inspections and copying any documents or other other items (tangible Itmes)
34
Request of admissions
where a party is required to admit or deny statements submitted by the other party with financial penalties for failure to admit that which is later proved to be true
35
Juries in criminal mattes
is required to render a unanimous verdict
36
Civil juries
in most states, _______ may decide cases with fewer than al jurors
37
Voir dire
the process of determining which person will actually be asked to sit on the jury and involves questioning of jurors by the judge ad by counsel of each party
38
jurors challenge for cause
each party usually has the right to object to a jury because of some prejudice
39
jurors preemptory challenges
typically each party may eliminate some prospective jurors without stating any reason
40
sequestered
in rare instances jurors are required to stay away form home during the trial to avoid contact with other persons and the media
41
Opening statements
are intended to describe the evidence which that party intends to produce and the case with that party plans to make plaintiff or prosecutors speaks first
42
Evidence
after opening statement ______ is presented the party bearing the burden puts on evidence first, followed by the defendant , and then followed by any rebuttal ________
43
Rebuttal evidence
which the plaintiff or prosecutor may need to present to respond to evidence provided by the defendant.
44
Closing Argument
are designed to be argumentative and persuasive
45
Instructions
Telling the jury what they are to do and what law applies the jury is then released to the jury room to deliberate
46
Judgements
are judicial orders requiring one party to pay another party money (or absolving a party from such judgements) are written documents , signed by a judge which contain the ultimate effect of th4e disposition of any dispute through litigation
47
Orders
are written or oral directions given by the court; parties are required to comply and the penalty for failure to do is contempt of court which may involve fines or incarcerations
48
Injunctions or Temporary restraining orders
are orders requiring a party to take some actions or refrain from taking some actions, subject to penalties for contempt of court
49
statues of limitation
require that a lawsuit be filed within a certain specified time after the cause of action has become ripe; failure to tile the suit in a timely manner results in forfeiture of the claim
50
Declaratory judgements
are legally conclusive (subject to appeal) and establish in an enforceable manner the respective position of parties.
51
Legal remedies
relate to the law allowing a court to award damages in the form of monetary judgements and then to enforce the right to money by providing mechanism to take. money or items monetary value forcible from a recalcitrant party deemed to owe a sum to the other party
52
Compensatory damages
These damages relate to direct monetary results of the wrongful conduct of the other party money compensation a party for expenses incurred of the loss of a benefit from a bargain breached
53
Consequential damages
these damages represent monies awarded for more extended and indirect results of the wrongful conduct of a party.
54
Punitive Damages
These are the amounts awarded as punishment for egregious conduct and which are designed to deter future egregious acts. tort cases
55
Nominal Damages
there is no real quantifiable amount of injury, bu tit is nonetheless appropriate to demonstrate a principle by awarding a "nominal" amount as a small symbolic remedy
56
Liquidated Damages
parties to a contract (not tort or other case) agree in advance that a certain amount of money in fair remedy in the event of a breach. the court may award that agreed-upon amount as liquidated damages.
57
Specified Performance (Equitable Remedies)
in a contract matter the court can order a party to do what or she promised, that is, to reverse the breach of contract. this is more appropriate where a breach cannot be meaningfully remedied by an award of money.
58
Rescission (Equitable Remedies)
where circumstances governed by contract law merit. a contract an be rescinded, that is declared void ab initio (void from the beginning) both parties are restored to their pre-contract state
59
Void ab initio
void from the beginning
60
Reformation (Equitable Remedies)
a contract can be essentially re-written by a court, most often to correct a scrivener's error to typographical mistake.
61
Injunction/Restraining order
where justice merits a court can order a party to take some action or refrain from some actions
62
Restitution
the convicted criminal may be required to pay _____ to the victim or victim's family or survivors as a way to provide some partial compensation.
63
Arbitration
offers an alternative to litigation which can be selected by parties but is not imposed by the government unless the parties so agree.
64
Arbitration advisory
in which case the parties are not required to follow the results
65
Arbitration Biding
in which case the result is enforceable upon the parties
66
Mediator
does not render any decisions: rather the job of the mediator is to attempt to act as a facilitator to encourage and help in the consensual settlement of the dispute