Judicial Branch Vocab Flashcards
concurrent jurisdiction
both federal and state courts have jurisdiction
original jurisdiction
the authority of a trial court to be first to hear a case
appellate jurisdiction
authority held by a court to hear a case that is appealed from a lower court
litigant
people engaged in a lawsuit
due process clause
14th amendment clause stating that no state may deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process law
grand jury
16 to 23 people who hear charges against a person suspected of having committed a crime
indictment
a formal accusation charging a person with a crime
petite jury
6 to 12 people, trial jury
judicial circuit
regions with one appellate court in each (12)
senatorial courtesy
a president submits the name of a judicial candidate to the senator from the candidates state before submitting it for formal Senate approval
riding the circuit
traveling to hold court in assigned regions of the country
opinion
written explanation of Court decision
writ of cetiorari
an order from the Court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review
per curiam opinion
a brief, unsigned statement of the court’s decisions
brief
written statement setting forth legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a case
amicus curiae
“a friend of the court”; written brief from an individual or group claiming to have info useful to the court’s consideration of a case
majority opinion
expresses the view of a majority of the justices on a case
dissenting opinion
the opinions of the justices on the losing side of a case
judicial review
power to examine laws and actions of local, state, and national government to cancel them if they violate the constitution
impound
refuse to spend
state dicisis
“let the decision stand”
precedent
model
advisory opinion
ruling on a law or action that has not been challenged
bloc
coalitions of justices
