Studied by 8 people
Plaintiff
The party bringing a civil suit, usually private person or institution
Remedy
The means used to redress an injury, relief from ongoing injury or compensation for past damages
Precedent
A previously decided legal case used as a guiding principle for future cases
Probate
To determine that will is the last and valid will of the deceased
Charter
The organizing document for corporations or a municipalities, which defines their structure, purposes, and activites
Injunctions
Court orders to compel or prohibit specific actions
Right-to-work laws
Laws that prohibit contracts between labor and management that establish a closed shop or a union shop
Negligence
Failure to act with the prudence or care that an ordinary person would exercise
Tort
A private or civil wrong or injury other than a breach of contract
Tort Reform
Efforts to limit liability in civil cases
Punitive damages
Judgements in excess of actual damages intended to punish a defendant in a civil suit
Eminent domain
When government takes private property for public use
Felonies
serious crimes punishable by state institutions
Misdemeanors
Minor crimes punishable by a county jail sentence or fine
Mores
Society's strong beliefs about right and wrong
FBI index crimes
Crimes used as a national barometer of the crime rate-murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, grand theft, and motor vehicle theft
White-collar crimes
Crimes such as bribery, tax fraud, business fraud, price-fixing, and embezzlement, which are usually committed by more prosperous people
Due process
Proper procedures designed to promote justice and protect the individual from the government. Is essential to guaranteeing fairness before the government may deprive a person of life, liberty, or property
Probable cause
Sufficient information to lead a "reasonable person" to believe that evidence is probably contained on the premises and thus a warrant for the invasion of privacy is justified
Exculsionary rule
Evidence acquired in violation of the Fourth Amendment may not be admitted in federal courts
Arraignment
A prisoner's initial appearance before a magistrate in which the changes and basic rights are explained
Bail
The security deposit required for the release of a suspect awaiting trial
Examining trial
An initial court hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send a case to a grand jury
Voir dire questioning
the initial questioning of jurors to determine possible biases
Adversary system
The legal system used in the common law countries in which two contesting parties present opposing views and evidence in a court of law
Compulsory process
the power to seize evidence and to force witnesses to testify under oath
Probation
A judge's sentence of an offender to serve outside a correctional institution but under specific restrictions, often under the supervision of a probation officer
Parole
After an initial stay in prison, prisoners serving the remainder of their sentences under supervision in the community
Deterrance
Discouraging criminal acts by threatening punishment
Rehabilitation
The effort to correct criminals' antisocial attitudes and behavior
Recidivists
Repeat offenders who have relapsed into crime
General-purpose government
A municipal or county government that provides a wide range of public services
Special districts
Local governments that provide single or closely related services that are not provided by general-purpose county or municipal governments
General-law city
An incorporated community with a population of 5,000 or fewer that is limited in the subject matter upon which it may legislate
Home-rule city
A city with a population of more than 5,000 that can adopt its own charter and structures its local government as it sees fit as long as charter provisions and local laws (also called ordinances) do not violate national and state constitutions and laws
City charter
The organized document for a municipality
Recall election
an election, called by petition, that permits voters to remove an elected official before the officials term expires
Council-manager form of government
A form of government in which an elected city council makes laws and hires a professional administrator who is responsible for both executing council policies and managing the day-to-day operations of city government and who serves at the pleasure of the council
Mayor-council system
A form of municipal government consisting of a mayor and a city council; this form includes both strong-mayor and weak-mayor variations
Strong-mayor form of government
A form of municipal government in which the mayor, who is chosen in a citywide election, is both the chief executive and the leader of the city council
Weak-mayor form of government
A form of municipal government in which the mayor and council share administrative authority
Commission form of government
A municipal government in which voters elect one set of officials who act as both executives and legislators. The commissioners, sitting together, are the municipal legislator, but individually each administers a city department
At-large elecitons
Citywide elections in which some or all of the city council members are elected by voters of the entire municipality rather than from neighborhood districts
Pure at-large systems
An election system in which candidates for city council run citywide and the top vote-getters are elected to fill the number of open seats
At-large place system
An election system in which each candidate runs citywide for a specific seat on the council and voters cast one vote for each seat or place
Single-member council districts
A electoral system in which each council member is elected from a particular geographical district by only the voters who live in that district
Cumulative voting
An election system in which members of city councils are elected in at-large elections, and the number of votes a voter can cast corresponds to the number of seats on the council
Rollback election
An election to limit an increase in the property tax rate to no more than 8 percent above that required for increased debt service
User fees
Fees paid by the individuals who receive a particular government service
public debt
money owed by government, ordinarily through the issuance of bonds. Local government issue bonds to finance major projects with voter approval
Mandate
A federal or state requirement that a lower level of government, like a city or county, provide a service or meet certain standards, often as a condition for receiving financial aid
Annexation
A policy that permits a city to bring unincorporated areas into the city's jursidiction
Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)
a buffer area that extends beyond a city's limits
Colonias
Severely impoverished unincorporated areas along the Texas-Mexico border with a multitude of problems, including substandard housing, unsanitary drinking water, and lack of proper sewage diposal
county government
general-purpose local governments that also serve as administrative arms of the state
Commissioners court
The policy-making body of a county, consisting of a country judge (the presiding officer of the court), who is elected in a countrywide election to a four-year term, and four commissioners, who are elected from individual precincts to four-year terms
County judge
An official elected countywide for a four-year term to preside over the county commissioners court
Sheriff
The chief county law enforcement officer
Constables
county law enforcement officials who are elected to serve as the process officer of justice of the peace courts and also has general law enforcement powers
tax assessor-collector
A county financial officer whose responsibilities include collecting various county taxes and fees and registering voters
county treasurer
In many counties, the official who is responsible for receiving, depositing, and disbursing funds
County auditor
A financial officer whose duties include reviewing county financial records and ensuring that expenditures are made in accordance with the law
County clerk
the officer who serves as the county's chief record keeper and election officer
District clerk
The record keeper for the district court in counties with a population exceeding 8,000
County attorney
A county legal officer whose responsibilities may include giving legal advice to the commissioners court, representing the county in litigation, and prosecuting crimes. In counties that also elect a district attorney, the county attorney specializes in civil matters
District attorney
a county officer who prosecutes criminal cases and also handles civil matters in many counties
Short ballot
the listing of only a few independently elected offices on an election ballot
Spoils system
a system that gives elected officials considerable discretion in employment and promotion decisions
Consolidation
The merging of county government with other local governments to form a single local government
Dependent agency
A classification creates by the U.S Census Bureau for governmental entities that are closely tied to general-purpose governments but do not have as much independence as special-districts govenments
Councils of governments (COGs)
Advisory bodies consisting of representatives of various local governments brought together for the purposes of regional planning and cooperation
