Essential law commerce

Most important law study term 3 terminology

Treaty

Form of contact between two parties 

Jury

Regular citizens who listen to the facts of a legal case and decide a verdict

Appellate jurisdiction

Power of a higher court to review, change, or reverse a decision made by a lower court

Criminal case (main difference)

Charges against a prosecutor

Civil case (main difference)

Private party sues another party

Appeal

Formal request asking a higher court to review a decision by a lower court because of an alleged mistake

Crime

Any act or omission that results in harm to society

Judge

Public official who has the authority to run court proceedings and decide legal cases

Statute law/Acts of parliament

Laws that must be obeyed by all people

Precedent

Previous legal decision that serves as a rule in future cases

Binding precedent

Decisions lower courts are bound to listen to from higher courts

Persuasive precedent

Decisions higher courts do not have to listen to from lower courts

Parliament

System of government

Constitution

Document that outlines the powers of the parliament

Public law

Body of law that manages the relationship between the government and the people

Private law

Governs relationships, rights, and duties between private parties

Plaintiff

Person whose rights have been infringed 

Defendant

Person who infringed on that person

Act

Criminal action

Omission

Failure to act

Domestic law

Legal writings, principles and precedents established on domestic level 

International law

Setting standards of acceptable behavior for nations and their citizens 

State sovereignty

Country’s ability to govern its borders without external interference

Lawform

Examining existing laws and making changes to improve effectiveness of law 

Bill

Draft piece of legistration

Law reform

Process of updating, modernizing, and improving existing laws