Civics 16 and 17 Flashcards
Morals
Beliefs about what is fair and what is right or wrong
Laws
Rules enforced by governments
Civil disobiedience
Breaking a law in a nonviolent way because it goes against personal morals
Statutes
Written laws made by legislatures
Common law
A body of law based on judge’s decisions
Legal code
Written collection of law often organized by subject
Crime
Any behavior that is illegal because the government considers it harmful to society
Criminal Law
Group of laws that tell which acts are crimes, how accused persons should be tried in court and how crimes should be punished
Felony
Serious crime for which the penalty can be inprisonment for more than one year
Misdemeanor
A less serious crime for which the penalty is often a fine
Civil Law
Group of laws that help settle disagreements between people
Assault
Placing someone in fear without actual physical contact
Battery
If physical contact occurs with a weapon or a foot
Burglary
When a person breaks into a building and plans to do something illegal inside
Embezzlement
Stealing money that has been entrusted in your care
Treason
Betrayal of one’s country by helping its enemies or by making war against it
Terrorism
A crime in which people or groups of people use or say they will use violence in order to get what they want from the government or society
Probable cause
A food reason to believe that has a suspect has been involved in a crime
Warrant
A legal paper issued by a court giving police permission to make an arrest seizure or search
Bail
Money that a defendant gives the court as a kind of promise that he or she will return for their trial
Indictment
A formal charge against the accused
Arraignment
A court hearing in which the defendant is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest
Plea bargaining
Agreeing to plead guilty in exchange for a lesser charge or lighter sentence
Parole
Letting an inmate to free to serve the rest of their sentence outside of prison
Delinquent
A juvenile who is found guilty of a crime
Status offender
A youth found guilty of running away, disobidience, or truancy- skipping school without permission
