Midterm 1 Flashcards
actus reus
Guilty act, intent to carry out action that is crime
adequate and independent state grounds
adequate and independent state ground doctrine is a doctrine of United States law governing the power of the U.S. Supreme Court to review judgments entered by state courts
adversarial system
Common law
Arraignment
The formal reading of charges enters a plea.
bench trial
No jury just judge
Good for when explaining complicated legal subject or getting off of heinous crime on a technicality
Changes who need to agree but defendant always has to wave right to jury.
beyond a reasonable doubt
Level of confidence for criminal cases
Lots of disagreement over the definition
Intentionally not specifically defined as a percentage
Binding precedent
The precedent set by a higher court must follow.
persuasive precedent
Precedent previously set but not binding.
blue slip
Home state Senators fill out blue slip with their opinion on a judicial nominee and if they should be appointed.
The system is becoming more political and less about patronage like blue slip
capital crime
Death Penalty is possible, the jury must convict and choose death sentance
causation in fact
ie: direct causation, if the defendant didn’t do what they did would the victim have died
certified question (certification)
? a formal request by one court from another court, usually but not always in another jurisdiction, for an opinion on a question of law
challenged “for cause”
The challenge to a potential juror for a specific cause. Like that they have close relations to a person or subject.
claim preclusion
Can’t sue someone for the same claim twice
Direct causation,
if the defendant didn’t do what they did would the victim have died
Issue preclusion
Not going to relitigate certain facts or issues that as answered.
Comity
The same basic idea as full faith and credit but doesn’t have tho be required.
Marriage in another country
Not mandatory
Concurrence legal definition
Mens rea and actus reus happen at the same time
concurrent jurisdiction
more than one state has jurisdiction
criminal negligence
A Reasonable person would be aware of the action
Damages
Monetary reward for someone after their property is damaged
declaratory judgment (declaration)
A declaratory judgment, also called a declaration, is the legal determination of a court that resolves legal uncertainty for the litigants.
discretionary sentencing
Sentencing decision up to the judge
diversity jurisdiction
Federal gov has jurisdiction because it’s in more than two states.
en banc
Seen in front of like 12 judges
environmental perspective
Perspective on judicial decision making, about the general public views on a subject.
Erie doctrine
a federal court called upon to resolve a dispute not directly implicating a federal question must apply state substantive law
Equity
No right to a jury,
Someone suing for fraud would not have a jury.
The distinction comes from medieval England.
Injunctive/clarity relief Usually non-monetary
Facts decided by judge
Deleware still has a separate court of chancery that deals with business law
Business law grows out of trust law
exclusive jurisdiction
?Supreme court hears all of a specific case. federal has exclusive jurisdiction to a particular crime
ex post facto law
Law put in place after crime committed, can’t prosecute a person for that crime.