Ch7 criminal justice

adversarial process

a term describing the manner in which U.S. criminal trial courts operate; a system that requires two sides; a prosecution and a defense

amicus curiae

a brief in which someone who is not a part of a case gives advice or testimony

assize of clarendon

a 12th century English law that established judicial procedure and grand jury system

bench trial

a trial in which a defendant waives the right to a jury trial and instead agrees to a trial in which the judge hears and decides the case

bill of rights

the first 10 amendments to the U.S. constitution, which guarantee fundamental rights and privileges to citizens

blood feud

a disagreement whose settlement is based on personal vengeance and physical violence

charge

formal statement of the criminal offense the defendant is accused of

circuit court

a court that holds sessions at intervals within different areas of a judicial district

court of the star chamber

an old English court compromising the kings councilors that was seperate from common law courts

docket

a schedule of cases in a court

general jurisdiction court

a court that may hear all types of cases except for those prohibited by law

geographic jurisdiction

the authority of a court to hear a case based on where the case is located in the system 

hierarchical jurisdiction

the authority of a court to hear a case based on where the case is located in the system

inquest

in archaic usage, considered the first type of jury that determined the ownership of land. currently, a type of investigation

jurisdiction

the authority of the court to hear certain cases

limited jurisdiction court

a court that has jurisdiction only over certain types of cases or subject matter

lower cases

sometimes called inferior courts, in reference to their hierarchy. these courts receive their authority and resources from local county or municipal government

racketeering

a federal crime that involves patterns of illegal activity carried out by organized groups that run illegal businesses or break the law in other organized ways

rule of four

a rule that at least 4 of the 9 supreme court justices must vote to hear a case

state courts

general courts and special courts funded and run by each state

subject matter jurisdiction

the authority of a court to hear a case based on the nature of the case

trial by ordeal

an ancient custom in which the accused was required to perform a test that appealed to divine authority to prove guilt or innocence

U.S. courts of appeals

intermediate courts that dispose of many appeals before they reach the supreme court

U.S. district courts

courts of general jurisdiction that try felony cases involving federal laws and civil cases involving amounts of money over 75,000

U.S. supreme court

the court of “last resort” the highest court in the United States, established by article III of the constitution, hears only appeals, with some exceptions

writ of certiorari

an order from a superior court calling up for review the record of a case from a lower court