Criminal Justice and Constitutional Law Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering constitutional amendments, legal definitions, court procedures, and the structure of the United States legal and government systems.

Constitution

The basic instrument of the government and the supreme law of the United States.

Declaration of Independence

A historical document asserting that all citizens are created equal and are entitled to unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; it did not establish how the United States should be structured and governed.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution.

First Amendment

Constitutional amendment protecting Americans' right to assemble peaceably for any political, religious, or social activity; the Supreme Court has ruled that it does not protect all forms of expression.

Fourth Amendment

Constitutional amendment concerning search and seizure; the Supreme Court has ruled that it does not prohibit police officers, under any circumstance, from stopping and frisking a "suspicious person."

Fifth Amendment

Constitutional amendment that guarantees due process and requires a person to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Grand Jury

A jury whose primary duty is to assure that there is probable cause to believe a person is guilty of a crime, rather than determining guilt or innocence.

Discretion

The freedom to make judgments that affect not only individuals but also the entire criminal justice system.

Case Law

Law that refers to judicial precedents.

Statutory Law

Written law that may be passed at the federal or state level, and can be civil or criminal.

In re Gault

The landmark Supreme Court case that applied due process to juveniles.

Subpoena

A legal document ordering a person to testify in a court of law as a witness.

Actus Reus

A legal term that literally means the "guilty act."

Equity

A legal concept founded on considering the "spirit of the law" rather than the "letter of the law."

Motive

An underlying reason or drive that is not to be confused with intent.

Police Power

Authority derived from U.S. Supreme Court decisions, the U.S. Constitution, and state statutes.

Civil Issues (Police Context)

Non-criminal disputes that police officers may encounter, including custody exchanges, neighbor disputes, and renter/landlord disputes.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government that makes the laws.

Executive Branch

The branch of government that enforces the laws.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government that determines when laws have been violated.

Criminal Law

The body of law that defines crimes and fixes punishments for them.

Landmark Decision

A judicial ruling that significantly alters or affects existing law.