Judicial Branch Vocab

Question 1

concurrent jurisdiction

Answer 1

both federal and state courts have jurisdiction

Question 2

original jurisdiction

Answer 2

the authority of a trial court to be first to hear a case

Question 3

appellate jurisdiction

Answer 3

authority held by a court to hear a case that is appealed from a lower court

Question 4

litigant

Answer 4

people engaged in a lawsuit

Question 5

due process clause

Answer 5

14th amendment clause stating that no state may deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process law

Question 6

grand jury

Answer 6

16 to 23 people who hear charges against a person suspected of having committed a crime

Question 7

indictment

Answer 7

a formal accusation charging a person with a crime

Question 8

petite jury

Answer 8

6 to 12 people, trial jury

Question 9

judicial circuit

Answer 9

regions with one appellate court in each (12)

Question 10

senatorial courtesy

Answer 10

a president submits the name of a judicial candidate to the senator from the candidates state before submitting it for formal Senate approval

Question 11

riding the circuit

Answer 11

traveling to hold court in assigned regions of the country

Question 12

opinion

Answer 12

written explanation of Court decision

Question 13

writ of cetiorari

Answer 13

an order from the Court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review

Question 14

per curiam opinion

Answer 14

a brief, unsigned statement of the court’s decisions

Question 15

brief

Answer 15

written statement setting forth legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a case

Question 16

amicus curiae

Answer 16

“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

Question 17

majority opinion

Answer 17

expresses the view of a majority of the justices on a case

Question 18

dissenting opinion

Answer 18

the opinions of the justices on the losing side of a case

Question 19

judicial review

Answer 19

power to examine laws and actions of local, state, and national government to cancel them if they violate the constitution

Question 20

impound

Answer 20

refuse to spend

Question 21

state dicisis

Answer 21

“let the decision stand”

Question 22

precedent

Answer 22

model

Question 23

advisory opinion

Answer 23

ruling on a law or action that has not been challenged

Question 24

bloc

Answer 24

coalitions of justices

Question 25

swing vote

Answer 25

deciding vote

Question 26

both federal and state courts have jurisdiction

Answer 26

concurrent jurisdiction

Question 27

the authority of a trial court to be first to hear a case

Answer 27

original jurisdiction

Question 28

authority held by a court to hear a case that is appealed from a lower court

Answer 28

appellate jurisdiction

Question 29

people engaged in a lawsuit

Answer 29

litigant

Question 30

14th amendment clause stating that no state may deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process law

Answer 30

due process clause

Question 31

16 to 23 people who hear charges against a person suspected of having committed a crime

Answer 31

grand jury

Question 32

a formal accusation charging a person with a crime

Answer 32

indictment

Question 33

6 to 12 people, trial jury

Answer 33

petite jury

Question 34

regions with one appellate court in each (12)

Answer 34

judicial circuit

Question 35

a president submits the name of a judicial candidate to the senator from the candidates state before submitting it for formal Senate approval

Answer 35

senatorial courtesy

Question 36

traveling to hold court in assigned regions of the country

Answer 36

riding the circuit

Question 37

written explanation of Court decision

Answer 37

opinion

Question 38

an order from the Court to a lower court to send up the records on a case for review

Answer 38

writ of cetiorari

Question 39

a brief, unsigned statement of the court’s decisions

Answer 39

per curiam opinion

Question 40

written statement setting forth legal arguments, relevant facts, and precedents supporting one side of a case

Answer 40

brief

Question 41

“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

Answer 41

amicus curiae

Question 42

expresses the view of a majority of the justices on a case

Answer 42

majority opinion

Question 43

the opinions of the justices on the losing side of a case

Answer 43

dissenting opinion

Question 44

power to examine laws and actions of local, state, and national government to cancel them if they violate the constitution

Answer 44

judicial review

Question 45

refuse to spend

Answer 45

impound

Question 46

“let the decision stand”

Answer 46

state dicisis

Question 47

model

Answer 47

precedent

Question 48

ruling on a law or action that has not been challenged

Answer 48

advisory opinion

Question 49

coalitions of justices

Answer 49

bloc

Question 50

deciding vote

Answer 50

swing vote