Government exam 3

Executive order

directive issued by the head of the executive branch of government that has the force of law.

Criminal law

the branch of law that regulates the conduct of individuals, defines crimes, and specifies punishments for criminal acts.

Civil law

branch of law that deals with disputes that do not involve criminal penalties.

Expressed power

specific powers granted to the president by the Constitution in Article II (military, judicial, diplomatic, executive, legislative)

Implied power

the powers neccessary to allow presidents to exercise their expressed powers

Inherent power

not directly stated in the U.S. Constitution but are inferred from it stemming from the rights, duties and obligations of the presidency

Delegated power

powers assigned to one agency but exercised by another agency with permission of firstagency, typically by Congress, to carry out specific functions.

Trial court

the first court to hear a case

Appeals court

they party filing an appael is known as an appellant. They review decisions made by trial courts to determine if legal errors occurred.

Incumbent

person who currently holds a particular position, office, or role, especially in a political or organizational context.

Executive agreement

agreements between the president and another country that have the force of treaties but do not require the Senate’s “advice and consent.”

Standing committee

a permanent subunit of a legislative body that focuses on a specific area of policy.

Presidential declaration committee

a group formed to organize and support a president's official announcement or statement on policy issues.

Treaty

a formal and legally binding agreement between two or more sovereign states or international organizations.

Judicial review

the power of courts to review and, if necessary, declare laws or executive actions invalid or unconstitutional

Filibuster

parliamentary tactic used by a member of a legislative body to delay or block a vote on a bill or nomination

State of the Union

annual address delivered by the President of the United States to a joint session of the U.S. Congress

Trust representative

a representative who votes based on what he or she thinks is best for his or her consistency.

Delegate representative

a representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituency

Precedent in the judicial process

a legal principle or rule established in a previous case that is either binding or persuasive in subsequent cases with similar facts or legal issues

Going public

nineteenth-century presidents were expected to refrain from speaking out in public in support of programs or policies, and it was considered inappropriate for them to campaign for themselves

Gerrymandering

new districts are drawn in such a way to advantage one group or party

Veto

turn down

Appeal

a legal process in which a party requests a higher court to review and overturn the decision of a lower court

Redistricting

the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives every 10 years to reflect shifts in population or in response to legal challenges to existing districts

Jurisdiction

cases involving federal laws, treaties with other nations, or the Constitution go to federal court

Original jurisdiction

the authority to consider a case initially

Pork barrel

appropriations from legislative bodies for local projects that may not be necessary, but can help the legislator win re-election

Appellate jurisdiction

state court decisions can be appealed to a federal court by raising a federal issue

Pocket veto

an automatic veto triggered if the president does not legislation passed during the last 10 days of a legislative session