Vocab CG4 Georgia's Judicial Branch, Vocab CG6 Local Governments in Georgia, Vocab CG5 Georgia's Juvenile Offenders

Appeal

challenge to a lower court's decision.

Appellate

courts whose responsibility is to review decisions by lower courts.

Appeal

challenge to a lower court's decision.

Appellate

courts whose responsibility is to review decisions by lower courts.

Chief Justice

presiding justice of the Supreme Court.

Circuit

an area under the jurisdiction of the superior court.

Division

an area under the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals.

Judicial Branch

branch of government responsible for interpreting the laws.

Jurisdiction

geographic or topical area that a court is responsible for.

Limited Jurisdiction

a court whose jurisdiction covers only a specific type of case.

Magistrate Court

a court with the power to issue warrants and try minor criminal cases, civil cases for sums of $15,000 or less, and civil disputes.

Probate Court

court with the power to rule on wills and estates, traffic violations, violations of game and fish laws, grant marriage and firearms licenses and appoint legal guardians.

State Court

court responsible for ruling in misdemeanor cases, preliminary felony case hearings, civil cases, and can issue search warrants.

Superior Court

court responsible for hearing civil and criminal trials, divorce cases, and land titles.

Supreme Court

court responsible for reviewing decisions made in civil or criminal cases, determining the constitutionality of laws, changes to elections, and death sentences.

Court of Appeals

court that reviews civil and criminal cases that have been previously heard by trial courts.

Justices

members of the Supreme Court; on the Supreme Court of Georgia, justices hold six-year terms and are selected by popular vote.

Civil Law

deals with laws created to deal with relationships amongst individuals.

Crimes

serious offenses that are punishable with fines, community service, prison, and sometimes death.

Criminal Law

deals with laws that are created to protect society from wrongdoers.

Tort

a civil wrong against an individual.

Arraigned

a step in the criminal court pretrial process where the suspect is brought before a superior court judge to enter a plea.

Bail

payment a suspect can pay to be released from custody until their trial date; bail is often determined by the magistrate court.

Capital Crimes

crimes that can be punished by the death penalty.

Custody

when a suspect is being held based on probable cause to believe that they committed a crime.

Defendant

person or group being charged for wrongdoing.

Deliberation

when the jury discusses the guilt or innocence of a defendant.

Felony

a serious crime that is punishable by no less than one year in prison.

Grand Jury

a group of citizens look over evidence to determine if a suspect should be charged with a crime.

Indictment

when a grand jury determines that there is enough evidence to be charged with a crime.

Plea Bargain

the ability for a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge.

Probable Cause

when there is sufficient evidence that the suspect was involved in a crime.

Suspect

person who has been charged by law enforcement for committing a crime.

Verdict

a determination of guilt or lack thereof by a jury.

Sheriff

an individual who is responsible for enforcing the law, maintaining the peace, and serving as the jailer for a county government.

Tax Commissioner

an individual who is responsible for receiving tax returns, maintaining tax records, and paying taxes for a county government.

Clerk of the Superior Court

primary record keeper for the county.

Judge of the Probate Court

an individual who oversees property deeds, marriage licenses, wills, and supervises elections in a county government.

County Commissioner/Board of Commissioners

power to adopt ordinances, oversee the daily operations of a county's government.

County Commissioners

a group of individuals that have the power to adopt ordinances and oversee the daily operations of a county's government.

City Manager

an individual hired by a city government who is responsible for running the day to day operations for the city.

Special Purpose Districts

government entities created to serve a special function for the state or community.

Strong Mayor Government

a form of city government where the major holds major responsibilities and powers including acting as the city's chief executive officer, administering the city's budget, and vetoing legislation passed by the city council.

Weak Mayor Council

a form of city government where the mayor holds some responsibilities, but the city council holds the majority of the power, duties, and responsibilities.

Municipality

a city or town.

Municipal Charter

a written document that sets up the structure of a city government.

Ad Valorem Tax

A tax based on the value of a transaction or of property; usually paid at the time of transaction.

Franchise Tax

A tax placed on the purchase, sale, rental, storage, use or consumption of tangible property.

Excise Tax

a tax placed on public utilities.

Regulatory Fees

mandatory fees that are required for a business or a professional to operate within a county.

Non-Tax Revenue

Non-tax sources can generate funds for municipalities and counties to operate.

Delinquent

a minor under 17 years of age who has been charged with an act which would be a crime if committed by an adult.

Delinquent Act

an act committed by a juvenile that would be a criminal offense according to adult law.

Unruly Act

an act committed by a juvenile that would not be a criminal offense according to adult law.

Intake

Begins process by which child may be adjudicated delinquent or unruly or may be prosecuted as adult. Child may be referred to court through complaint or charge from police, school resource officer, parent, or other citizen. Child taken into custody is turned over to intake officer, who decides whether child should be temporarily detained to protect child or public, to prevent child from running away, or if child is without proper supervision.

Informal Adjustment - Detention

Court or intake officer determines if probable cause exists; whether to commence case in juvenile court; and whether to continue detention (if applicable) pending adjudicatory hearing. Intake officer may decide to use informal adjustment (basically informal probation) if child admits wrongdoing. If child violates informal adjustment agreement, will return to court for adjudication.

Petition

Formal document charging child with delinquency or unruliness. May only be filed if court or prosecutor has found both probable cause and that filing is in child's best interests.

Adjudication

Equivalent to adult trial, where judge hears witnesses, reviews other evidence, and decides whether to adjudicate juvenile delinquent or unruly (comparable to finding of guilty or not guilty in adult court). There is no right to jury trial.

Disposition

Equivalent to adult sentencing. Possible dispositions include release to parents, probation, 30-day short-term sentence, commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice, and restrictive custody at a Youth Development Center ('YDC').