EXAM 2 American Government

Judicial Review

The power courts have to rule on the constitutionality of laws, established by Marbury v. Madison

Criminal Cases

Violation of law

Civil Cases

civil dispute between private citizens

Federal Court Cases

Dispute between states (+ citizens of different states), deals with violations of Federal laws & some criminal cases

District Courts

Lowest level of courts

Court of Appeals

If a case is appealed then it goes here where it is reviewed by judges and not a jury

Justicies

Supreme court officials with lifetime appointment making the nomination process extremely important. Cases are only heard if at least 4 agree it should be heard (The rule of four).

Docket

A court’s agenda, the set amount of cases the US Supreme court will hear in a given year

Petitions for Certiorari

“To be informed” of lower proceedings

Supreme Court Process

1st-Written Arguments, 2nd- Oral Argument, 3rd- Consideration, 4th- Conference, 5th- Judgement, 6th-Opinion

Plea Bargains

A dismissal where the defendant pleads guilty for a lesser sentence (criminal cases)

Settlements

A dismissal where the two parties come to an agrement outside of court (Civil cases)

Tribal Justice System

Courts the administer justice on native American lands, consistent with the law + sovereignty of tribal nations

Precedent

A judicial ruling system that serves as the basis for the ruling in a subsequent case

Solicitor General

3rd highest official of the US DOJ & the person who represent the nation government before the US Supreme Court

Amicus Curiae brief

“friend of the court” allows parties to who aren’t involved in the litigation but have an overall interest to influence court decisions

Opinion

A written explanation that justice a court’s judgement in a case

Argument

The heart of a judicial opinion

Concurrence

The agreement of a judge with the majority decision for a reason other than the majority reason

Dissent

The disagreement of s judge with a majority decision

Senatorial Courtesy

A norm under which a nomination must be acceptable to the home-state senator from the president’s party

Statutory Construction

Judicial interpretation of legislative acts that clarify the meaning of law

Judicial restraint

A philosophy by which judges tend to defer to decision of the elected branches of government

Judicial Actisms

A philosophy by which judges tend to not to defer to decision of the elected branches of government

Functions of Political party

Nominate Candidates, Structure vote choice, Provide clear policy Alternatives, Increased Accountability of government

Federalist

One of the first political parties, created by Hamilton

Democratic-Replicans

One of first political parties, created by Jefferson

Political partied today

Democrates and Republicans split which created a new trend where the north were more Republican and the south more Democratic

Party Polarization

2 parties that are far apart on policy issues and their members cluster tightly around the mean positions of their respective parties

Caucuses

A closed meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of policy personnel, and other matters of party politics

Bull moose Party

Political 3rd party created by former president Theodore Roosevelt

Public Opinion

The attitude of Citizens on specific issue, early methods consisted was Anecdotal, now modern methods are done by polls which is more scientific