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Commerce > Law Vocab > Flashcards

Law Vocab Flashcards

1
Q

Absolute Majority

A

More than half of the formal votes in an election

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2
Q

Access

A

Equal opportunity for people to use the legal system

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3
Q

Adversarial system

A

A legal system that involves 2 parties presenting their case to an impartial judge or jury

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4
Q

Anarchy

A

A state of disorder due to lawlessness an absence of government

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5
Q

Appeal

A

An application to a higher court to review a legal decision because one party believes there was an error in legal reasoning

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6
Q

Bail

A

To release an accused person as they await their trial

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7
Q

Balance of power

A

The power of an individual or party because they hold the casting vote

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8
Q

Balance of probabilities

A

A standard of proof in civil trials requiring the evidence to show that an event more likely occurred than didn’t

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9
Q

Ballot paper

A

Piece of paper where voters record their vote

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10
Q

Beyond reasonable doubt

A

A standard of proof in criminal trials requiring evidence to show no reasonable conclusions other than guilt

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11
Q

Cabinet

A

Group of selected government ministers who meet regularly to decide major parliamentary issues

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12
Q

Coalition

A

A government that is possible because 2+ parties agree to collaborate and thus gain a majority

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13
Q

Committal hearing

A

A hearing in a local court where it’s decided whether there’s enough evidence to put a person on trial for an indictable offence

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14
Q

Common law

A

A set of legal principles (precedents) derived from judges’ previous decisions

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15
Q

Constitution

A

A document outlining the powers of parliament/the legal system

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16
Q

Constitutional monarchy

A

A government form where a non-elected monarch is the head of state, but there are constitutional limits on their power

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17
Q

Court

A

A place for people to resolve legal disputes

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18
Q

Defendant

A

The party in a civil/criminal trial who faces legal action brought against them

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19
Q

Democracy

A

A system of government where political power lies with the people

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20
Q

Discriminate

A

To treat someone differently or more poorly because of personal characteristics such as sex, sexuality, race, etc.

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21
Q

Double dissolution

A

When the head of parliament (the governor general) decides to dissolve both houses of parliament, putting every seat up for re-election

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22
Q

Federation

A

When the colonies joined together to form one country - Australia

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23
Q

Federal parliament

A

The House of Representatives and the Senate

24
Q

Formal vote

A

A vote that’s been correctly marked on the paper, adhering to rules

25
Q

House of Representatives

A

The lower house of parliament consisting of 150 MPs, often called “The People’s House”.

26
Q

Hung parliament

A

When no party has a majority of members elected in parliament

27
Q

Independent

A

A candidate or member of parliament not affiliated with any political party

28
Q

Indictable offence

A

A serious crime

29
Q

Judge

A

A court official who makes decisions on matters brought before a court

30
Q

Judiciary

A

A system of courts that interprets and applies the law in a country

31
Q

Jury

A

A collection of people (12 or 6) who hear the evidence in a case and can decide upon the outcome of the case

32
Q

Laws

A

A set of legal rules

33
Q

Lobby

A

To attempt to get political/popular support for a cause

34
Q

Magistrate

A

A court official who hears and decides the outcome of cases in the lowest courts

35
Q

Minority government

A

A situation in which a party has more seats than the opposing party, so has formed a government, but less than half of the seats in the house.

36
Q

Non-parole

A

The time a prisoner must serve before they are eligible for release on the promise of good behaviour

37
Q

Parole

A

Releasing a prisoner on the promise of good behaviour

38
Q

Plaintiff

A

The party that commences a civil action

39
Q

Portfolio

A

An area of government responsibility, eg: defence, health, etc.

40
Q

Precedent

A

Judges’ previous legal decisions forming a point of law, serving as a rule in future similar cases

41
Q

Preferences

A

Order that voters list candidates in an election, after they’ve made their first choice

42
Q

Preferential system

A

A counting system that allows most Australians to have their say in an election by stating in which order they prefer the candidates

43
Q

Private law

A

Deals with disputes between private citizens

44
Q

Private member’s bill

A

A bill introduced by a backbencher as opposed to coming from the government

45
Q

Proportional representation

A

Each senator must win a quota of votes to win a senate seat

46
Q

Prosecutor

A

The party bringing a criminal action against the accused; usually it’s the state

47
Q

Public law

A

Deals with disputes affecting the whole community

48
Q

Quota

A

Number of votes a candidate for the senate must get to win a seat

49
Q

Referendum

A

A vote where the whole electorate votes on a particular proposal; one must be held for changes in the constitution

50
Q

Senate

A

The upper house of Federal parliament, sometimes called the State’s house

51
Q

Separation of powers

A

Government functions being spread across the legislative, executive and judiciary branches

52
Q

Statute law

A

Law made by the parliament

53
Q

Sue

A

To bring a civil action against someone for causing damage or injury

54
Q

Tort

A

A civil wrong

55
Q

Trial

A

A process to determine whether someone is guilty of/liable for what they have been accused of

Commerce (8 decks)

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