Glossary - I

Question 1

Impeachment

Answer 1

And impeachment is a trial by the legislature of a public official. In the US a president can be removed from office by impeachment.

Question 2

Inadmissible evidence

Answer 2

Evidence that cannot be received into court to aid a judge in deciding a case (e.g. hearsay evidence).

Question 3

Income tax

Answer 3

At direct tax on all forms of earnings of individuals including wages and salaries, dividends, interest and capital gains. The term may be used to include company tax, which is a direct tax on the profits of enterprises.

Question 4

Independent

Answer 4

A parliamentarian who is not a member of a political party.

Question 5

Indictable offence

Answer 5

A more serious criminal offence. Indictable offences generally are heard by a judge and jury in the district (or County) Court or the Supreme Court.

Question 6

Indirect election

Answer 6

Any process where voters elect members of a body that is empowered to elect an officeholder. The US presidential election is an indirect process.

Question 7

Informal vote

Answer 7

An informal vote is a vote that cannot be included in the count towards an election result because it has been filled in incorrectly.

Question 8

In futuro

Answer 8

Setting standards or rules ‘for the future’. In almost all cases statutes (laws passed by Parliament) are in futuro as they change the law from the date of proclamation onwards, but do not change the law in the past. Statutes that change the law applying to past events (retrospective laws) are unusual and controversial.

Question 9

Injunction

Answer 9

A court order that requires a party to take specific action or to refrain from an action.

Question 10

Inquisitional system

Answer 10

An alternative approach to dispute settlement. In an inquisition all trialed the judge administers the pre-trial investigation, examines the evidence, determines the facts of the case and sets the penalty or sanction. Civil law countries such as France and Germany use this approach. Some elements of inquisitional law are used in the Australian legal system.

Question 11

International law

Answer 11

The treaties and internationally accepted customs that seek to regulate the actions of nations. Such treaties generally are based on common agreement. The best examples are the treaties of the UN and the International Court of Justice that can hear disputes concerning breaches of such treaties.

Question 12

Interpretation Act

Answer 12

An act of parliament that provides guidelines to the court for the interpretation of acts generally (e.g. the Western Australian Interpretation Act (1984))

Question 13

Ideology

Answer 13

A wide ranging and consistent system of beliefs and values that claims to describe the ideal political, economic and social system. Ideologies may provide support for the status quo (e.g. Conservatism) or criticise existing structures and set out a model for a reformed or radically changed society (e.g. Socialism, Communism).

Question 14

Interrogatories

Answer 14

Part of the pre-trial process n a civil dispute. Interrogatories are a formal set of questions served by the plaintiff or defendant to gain further information about the matters in dispute. It is compulsory for a party to respond and their answers are the equivalent of statements under oath.