Unit 5 Part 3

Bureaucracy

The large system of federal agencies and departments that carry out government laws and programs.

Cabinet Departments

The 15 major executive departments headed by secretaries appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Government Corporations

Government-run organizations that provide services that could also be offered by the private sector.

Independent Regulatory Agencies

Agencies that regulate parts of the economy and are designed to be insulated from direct presidential control.

Independent Executive Agencies

Agencies in the executive branch that carry out specialized tasks but are not part of a cabinet department.

Department of State

Handles foreign affairs.

Department of the Interior

Oversees public lands, parks, and Native American affairs.

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

A New Deal-era government corporation that provides electricity to the Tennessee Valley.

United States Postal Service

A government corporation that delivers mail.

Federal Reserve Board

An independent regulatory agency that helps regulate the money supply.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

An independent regulatory agency that regulates the stock market.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

An independent executive agency that manages space exploration.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

An independent executive agency that supports scientific research.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government that interprets laws, resolves disputes, and reviews whether laws are constitutional.

Plaintiff

The person or group that brings a civil or criminal case against another party.

Civil Law

Law involving disputes between private parties, such as divorce or child custody.

Criminal Law

Law in which the government charges someone with breaking the law.

Class Action Suit

A lawsuit brought by one group on behalf of many people with similar claims.

Amicus Curiae

“Friend of the court”; an outside person or group that submits information or arguments to help the court.

District Courts

Federal trial courts where most federal cases begin.

Court of Appeals

Intermediate appellate courts that review decisions from district courts and some federal agencies.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the United States and the final court of appeal for many cases.

Original Jurisdiction

The power of a court to hear a case first, before any appeal.

Plea Deal

An agreement in which a defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced penalty.

Appellate Jurisdiction

The power to review the decisions of lower courts or agencies.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

A federal regulatory agency whose decisions can be reviewed by appellate courts.

Judicial Review

The power of the Court to declare a law unconstitutional; established in Marbury v. Madison.

Rule of Four

At least four justices must vote to hear a case.

Writ of Certiorari

A Supreme Court order telling a lower court to send up a case for review.

Majority Opinion

The official opinion agreed to by most justices; it becomes the Court’s decision.

Minority Opinion

A dissenting opinion written by justices who disagree with the majority.

Federal Judges

Judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Senatorial Courtesy

A tradition where a senator can block a judicial nominee from their state, especially in the Senate.

Senate Judiciary Committee

The Senate committee that reviews Supreme Court nominees before a full Senate vote.

Divided Government

When the presidency and at least one house of Congress are controlled by different political parties.

Stare Decisis

“Let the decision stand”; the practice of following precedent in later cases.

Judicial Restraint

The belief that courts should avoid making broad changes and should defer to precedent and elected branches.

Judicial Activism

The belief that courts can and should step in to correct injustice.

Doctrine of Original Intent

Interpreting the Constitution based on what the framers intended.

Incorporation Doctrine

Applying most Bill of Rights protections to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Solicitor General

The government lawyer who represents the United States before the Supreme Court and helps decide which cases to appeal.

Judiciary Act of 1789

Law that created the federal court system and established the first structure of the Supreme Court.