The American Legal System Flashcards
What is criminal law?
Usually regarding the law and people who break it.
What is civil law?
Relating to citizens. Most of civil law is about arguments between citizens.
What is constitutional law?
Dealing with the constitution and making sure everything follows it.
What is military law?
Dealing with members of the military or anyone who works with he military.
What is rule of law?
The idea that everyone should be treated fairly and equally under the law.
Which type of law is to protect citizens?
Civil law.
What is the difference between misdemeanors and felonies?
Felonies are more serious than misdemeanors so the types of penalties differ. Misdemeanors serve a maximum of one year while one year is a minimum for felonies.
What are ex post facto laws?
They are laws that punish someone for something that they did before it was illegal when it was legal before.
What is writ of habeas corpus?
A writ ordering a person to see a judge to see if there is enough evidence to try a person.
What are bills of attainder?
“A legislative act pronouncing a person guilty of a crime, usually treason, without trial and subjecting that person to capital punishment and attainder.”
(www.thefreedictionary.com)
What is a plea bargain?
When a prosecutor tells the defendant that she will have a likely chance of being found guilty and so the defendant states that she is guilty and faces a lesser charge.
Example:
Melissa is arrested for DUI and ended up killing someone in the process. She made a plea bargain so that she would only go to jail for 15 months instead of many years.
