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Government > Government Exam: Vocab > Flashcards

Government Exam: Vocab Flashcards

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1
Q

Term

A

Two year period where congress meets

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2
Q

Bicameral

A

Having Two houses

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3
Q

Session

A

Time period during which, each year, congress conducts business.

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4
Q

Convene

A

To officially call everyone together for a meeting.

Congress starts January 3rd every year

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5
Q

Adjourn

A

To suspend business until NEXT session

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6
Q

Recess

A

To suspend business temporarily DURING session

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7
Q

Prorogue

A

Presidents power to adjourn a session when the 2 houses can’t agree.

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8
Q

Sine Die

A

When neither houses can adjourn until they have the consent of the other house

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9
Q

Special session

A

When the president calls congress in for an emergency meeting.

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10
Q

Gerrymandering

A

The drawing of district lines in favor of the party in power

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11
Q

Apportion

A

Distributing seats in congress

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12
Q

Reapportion

A

Seats are redistributed after 10 years

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13
Q

Off-year Election

A

Non presidential years

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14
Q

Single-Member district

A

Geographic district that only has one representative

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15
Q

District

A

A voting block of mostly 700,000 people

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16
Q

Incumbent

A

The holding of an office or post

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17
Q

Continuous body

A

All seats of congress are never up for election at same time

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18
Q

Constituency

A

The people the members of congress represent

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19
Q

Delegate

A

Agent of the people

20
Q

Trustee

A

Person who holds property, authority, and a position of trust or responsibility.

21
Q

Partisan

A

All in favor of their own party. Strong supporters

22
Q

Politicos

A

A combination of delegate, trustee, and partisan

23
Q

Oversight function

A

Gives congress power to oversee all federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementations.

24
Q

Speech and Debate Clause

A

Protects representatives from law suits for slander arising from a speech they give in congress.

25
Q

Cabinet

A

A group of self appointed staff the president can talk to for assistance in decision making.

26
Q

Independent Agencies

A

Agencies that run outside of the cabinet departments

27
Q

Statutes

A

An act of legislation/laws passed by congress

28
Q

Jurisdiction

A

The authority of a court to hear or try a case

29
Q

Civil case

A

A case that involves a dispute in money between two parties

30
Q

Criminal case

A

A case in court that has to do with a criminal

31
Q

Grand Jury

A

Decides weather there is enough evidence to bring the accused to trial

32
Q

Petite Jury

A

Decides the guilt or innocence of the accused

33
Q

Plaintiff

A

A person who files the complaint

34
Q

Defendant

A

The person who the case is filed against

35
Q

District Attorney

A

Is a prosecuting attorney sent by the government

36
Q

Magistrate

A

Issue the warrants, set bails, select the juries, deal with minor offenses.

37
Q

US Marshall

A

Police for the federal court/arrest federal offenders

38
Q

US district court (trial courts)

A

Handle most of the federal trial cases. Only 89 of these courts in US.

39
Q

US court of appeals

A

The “Gatekeepers” of the Supreme Court. Hears most of the appeals the Supreme Court would have to deal with.

Only 12 of these courts in US

40
Q

US Supreme Court

A

Only 1 of these courts located in Washington DC. Is the supreme power in the court system

41
Q

Judicial Review

A

Power to declare any law unconstitutional

42
Q

Briefs

A

Summary of any case in court

43
Q

Opinions

A

Rationale for decision making in a court

44
Q

Common Law

A

A body of unwritten laws based on precedents established by the courts.

45
Q

Common Law

A

A Body of unwritten laws based on precedents established by the courts

Government (8 decks)

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