Street Law 2024 - Vocab Quiz

Question 1

Human rights

Answer 1

Basic rights to which all people are entitled to as human beings

Question 2

Reservations

Answer 2

A legal way of making a provision less enforceable than it might otherwise be

Question 3

Criminal law

Answer 3

Branch of law dealing with crimes and their punishments

Question 4

Felony

Answer 4

Serious criminal offense punishable by a prison sentence of more than one year

Question 5

Misdemeanor

Answer 5

A criminal offense, less serious than a felony, punishable by a prison sentence of one year or less

Question 6

Civil law

Answer 6

All law that does not involve criminal matters, such as tort and contract law. Civil law usually deals with private rights of individuals, groups, or businesses

Question 7

Civil action

Answer 7

A noncriminal lawsuit, brought to enforce a right or redress a wrong

Question 8

Defendant

Answer 8

The person against whom a claim is made. In a civil suit, the defendant is the person being sued; in a criminal case, the defendant is the person charged with committing a crime

Question 9

Plaintiff

Answer 9

In a civil case, the injured party who brings legal action against the alleged wrongdoer

Question 10

Prosecutor

Answer 10

The state or federal government’s attorney in a criminal case

Question 11

Beyond a reasonable doubt

Answer 11

The level of proof required to convict a person of a crime

Question 12

Preponderance of the evidence

Answer 12

Usually the standard of proof used in a civil suit; the burden of proof that a party must meet in order to win the lawsuit. To win, a party must provide evidence that is more convincing than the other side’s evidence.

Question 13

Limited government

Answer 13

A basic principle of our constitutional system. It limits the government to powers provided to it by the people.

Question 14

Separation of powers

Answer 14

The division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

Question 15

Statutes

Answer 15

Written laws enacted by legislatures

Question 16

Checks and balances

Answer 16

The power of each of the three branches of government to limit the other branches’ power, so as to prevent abuse

Question 17

Veto

Answer 17

Prohibit; in government, the veto is the power of the chief executive to prevent enactment of a bill

Question 18

Judicial review

Answer 18

The process by which courts decide whether the laws passed by Congress or state legislature are constitutional

Question 19

Unconstitutional

Answer 19

Conflicting with some provision of the constitution

Question 20

Federalism

Answer 20

The division of powers between the states and the federal government

Question 21

Bill of Rights

Answer 21

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guarantee basic individual rights to all persons in the United States