Court System and Proceedings Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Jurisdiction

A

Who has power over what cases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Federal Jurisdiction

A

Any case arising under the Constitution or reasonably inferred there from, also appealed cases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Diversity of Citizenship

A

2 people from different states in federal court but still applying state law where the event occurred

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

State Court Jurisdiction

A

Anything non-constitution related

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

May States add protections?

A

Yes. Constitutional Law is the floor not the ceiling, States may add protections but once constitution says no it is a no for everyone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Federal Court System Order

A

US District Courts - US Circuit Courts of Appeal - US Supreme Court

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

US District Courts

A

Handles most cases, trials, verdicts, judgments. 94 districts, at least one per state,

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

US Circuit Courts of Appeal

A

Mandatory appeals, error correction, 12

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

US Supreme Court

A

Discretionary appeals, inter circulatory debates, writ of certiorari required

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Writ of Certiorari

A

Request to be heard by USSC, to be granted 4 judges must agree (rule of 4), requesting to send record of the case for USSC review, denial is not precedent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Specialty Courts

A

Created in Article I, Bankruptcy courts ex

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

General Jurisdiction

A

As long as rules are followed district courts will hear it, first place to get heard, no discretion (Only need to meet jurisdiction and procedural requirements)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Trial Process Overview

A

Pretrial (Pleadings, discovery, motions), Jury selection (Vior Dire), Opening Statements, Case in Chief (Direct, cross, redirect, recross), rules of evidence, closing arguments, jury instructions, jury deliberation, verdict, judgement, appeal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Pretrial

A

Pleading, discovery, motions (90% of cases never go past pretrial)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Plaintiff Complaint

A

Filed in court then served to defendant, cause of action, at the end prayer for relief (what you want)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Defendant Answer

A

Defendant admits or denies what has been brought against them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Discovery

A

Declaring witnesses, asking for information (documents, etc), interogitoria, request for things, written under oath testimonies, depositions (Giving all info to other side)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Motion Process

A

A request to the court for something, takes place before and during trial, (Dismiss case, limit evidence, etc)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Jury Selection

A

Guaranteed an unbiased jury, summon a pool of options then ask about biases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Vior Dire

A

Questioning process for jury selection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Opening Statements

A

Not evidence, telling the story, tell them what you’re going to tell them throughout the trial

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Case-in-Chief

A

Plaintiff starts since they have the burden of proof, then defense to prove it wasn’t enough, done through questioning witnesses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Direct Examination

A

Part that calls the witness questioning, trying to get proof from witness, open-ended questions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Cross Examination

A

Opposition is questioning same witness, trying to undermine credibility, leading quesitons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Redirect (Re-Cross)

A

Back to questioning by original party, open-ended questions, can only redirect on things mentioned in the cross

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE)

A

Specifics on what, who, and how evidence can be presented, promotes reliable fact finding. Witnesses, relevance, negligence, witness credibility, hearsay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Objections

A

When evidence offered violates the federal rules of evidence. Sustatianed (Agrees evidence can’t come in), Overruled (Evidence can come in)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Witnesses

A

You can only testify about information you personally know or saw. FRE

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Relevance

A

Evidence must be relevant, make some sort of impact on the case. FRE

30
Q

Negligence

A

Duty, Breach, Causation, Damages. Witnesses establish these things. FRE

31
Q

Hearsay

A

Can’t say what someone else said only your personal story, no 2nd hand statements

32
Q

Indicia of Reliability

A

More reliable than regular hearsay, applies to business records since automatically generated and recorded

33
Q

Admission by Party Opponent

A

Plaintiff says something defendant said, not hearsay since defendant is there and can defend themselves

34
Q

Closing Arguments

A

Speech to jury by each attorney, in lay terms, using four parts of negligence, common sense argument

35
Q

Jury Instructions

A

Judge tells the jury what is required to have been proven to convict someone

36
Q

Jury Deliberation

A

First time the jury can meet and discuss what they believe the verdict should be, foreperson announces the jury’s decision

37
Q

Verdict

A

What the Jury’s decision is. Guilty and charges, liable with recommendation for damages. Verdict options.

38
Q

Judgement (Order)

A

Judge reads Jury verdict and gives final order

39
Q

Judgement non-withstanding the verdict

A

Motion for judge to make opposite judgment and disregard jury verdict

40
Q

Article I Legislative Courts

A

Only has a specific type of jurisdiction, handles a specific federal act, no judge lifetime tenure, needed for high-volume issues and specialized staff

41
Q

US Circuit Courts of Appeals

A

13 circuits, 3 judge panel with majority vote, appeals are NOT new trials, correcting errors,

42
Q

Record Brief

A

All info presented in the original trial, given to the appellate court

43
Q

Appellate Brief

A

Written argument, addresses errors that were made in the original trial

44
Q

Responsive Brief

A

Winner of original trial saying why lower court verdict should stand, no error or error didn’t matter

45
Q

Oral Argument of Appeal

A

3 Judge panel, 30 min arguments from each side, judges can ask questions

46
Q

USSC

A

Only court created in US Constitution, final interpreter of federal law

47
Q

Supreme Court Justices

A

9 total, nominated by president and confirmed by the senate, big vetting process beforehand (FBI, ABA Ranking, background check, outside lobbying), lifetime appointment

48
Q

Long arm statute

A

State statute that permits a state to exercise jurisdiction over nonresident defendant based on activities within the state

49
Q

Minimum contacts test

A

Determines if courts can exercise jurisdiction over out of state corporations (Ex they sell products in the state)

50
Q

Diversity of Citizenship

A

Cases between citizens of different states, a foreign country and US citizens, and US citizens and foreign citizens

51
Q

Concurrent Jurisdiction

A

When two different courts have the power to hear a case

52
Q

Exclusive Jurisdiction

A

When a case can only be heard in a particular court

53
Q

Standing to sue

A

A sufficient state in the matter to justify seeking relief through the court system

54
Q

Complaint

A

Pleading made by a plaintiff or a charge made by the state alleging wrongdoing on the part of the defendant, start of a lawsuit

55
Q

Motion to Dismiss

A

Pleading in which defendant admits the facts as alleged by the plaintiff but asserts that the plaintiff’s claim has no basis in law

55
Q

Summons

A

Notifies the defendant they are required to prepare an answer

56
Q

Answer

A

Defendant response to a complaint, accepts and denies each part of complaint

57
Q

Counterclaim

A

Any claim they may have against the plaintiff regarding the same event

58
Q

Motion for Judgement on the Pleadings

A

No facts are disputed so only questions of law are at issue, court may not consider any evidence outside the pleadings

59
Q

Motion for Summary Judgement

A

No facts are disputed so only questioning the law, but additional evidence may be used

60
Q

Deposition

A

Any evidence verified by oath

61
Q

Interrogatory

A

Series of written questions with prepared written answers by either party, can answer with attorney, obligated to answer even if it means disclosing info

62
Q

Meta data

A

Data that is electronically recorded automatically and provides info about who created a file and its history

63
Q

Motion for a directed verdict

A

A motion for the judge to direct a verdict for the moving party on the ground that the other party has not produced significant evidence to support their claim

64
Q

Motion for a new trial

A

Post-trial motion, judge believes jury was in error but doesn’t feel it’s appropriate to grant a judgement for the other side

65
Q

Appellant

A

Party who appeals

66
Q

Appelle

A

Party against whom an appeal is taken

67
Q

Record on Appeal

A

Includes trial testimony and evidence

68
Q

Reversed

A

An error was made, judgement is reversed

69
Q

Remanded

A

Case is sent back to the court that originally heard it for a new trial

70
Q

Affirmed

A

Enforcement of the courts decision