American Gov

Veto

A presidential veto is the constitutional power of the President of the United States to refuse to sign legislation passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming law.

• pres. has 10 days to sign bill.

• needs 2/3 votes in both houses to overrule.

Line - item veto

is not necessary for the president to use it.

• A line-item veto is a special form of veto power that allows an executive authority to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill—typically spending items or tax benefits—without vetoing the entire legislative package. While widely used by U.S. state governors, the federal line-item veto was declared unconstitutional for the President of the United States by the Supreme Court in 1998.

Pocket veto

congress adjurns before 10 days.

• cannot be overturned.

Pardon power

An executive action that exempts an individual from punishment for federal offenses, restoring civil rights.

Natural Born Citizen

a person who is a U.S. citizen at birth, either by being born on American soil (jus soli) or to U.S. citizen parents (jus sanguinis), fulfilling the Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 requirement.

25th amendment

defines procedures for filling presidential/vice-presidential vacancies and handles presidential disabilities.

• VP takes over.

Impeachment

the formal accusation of a U.S. President for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors," initiated by a simple majority vote in the House of Representatives.

Head / Chief of State

the ceremonial head and symbolic leader of a sovereign nation

Chief Diplomat

acts as the primary architect of American foreign policy and the nation's main representative to the world.

Treaty

A treaty is a legally binding international agreement between sovereign states or international organizations, ratified in the U.S. under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, requiring two-thirds Senate consent.

The President negotiates and executes treaties, while the Senate provides "advice and consent" rather than ratification itself.

Executive Agreements

an international accord made by the U.S. President with foreign heads of state that does not require Senate approval (unlike treaties)

Executive Order

a directive issued by the U.S. President to federal agencies, managing operations of the executive branch and having the force of law without congressional approval

Secretary of State

the head of the Department of State, a principal member of the president's cabinet, and the nation's chief diplomat responsible for foreign policy

Commander in Chief of the US Military

holds the prime responsibility for the conduct of United States foreign relations.

Chied Administrator / Bureaucrat

an official working within a large administrative system (government or corporate) who carries out duties based on set procedures and rules. A Chief Administrator is the top executive leading such an organization, managing daily operations, resources, and personnel

State of the Union Address

an annual speech delivered by the US President to Congress, usually in January or February, reporting on the nation's condition and outlining legislative priorities

Manager of the Economy

responsible for maintaining national prosperity, high employment, price stability (controlling inflation), and healthy markets through fiscal and monetary policies.

Law

a binding set of rules,

Common Law

derived from judicial decisions, custom, and precedent rather than statutes or codes

Precedent

a principle established in a previous court case, known as a "case precedent" or "authority," which courts rely on to decide subsequent cases with similar facts or legal issues

Stare decisis

"to stand by things decided," serving as the legal principle that requires courts to follow historical precedent when ruling on similar cases. I

Statute or Statutory law

a formal, written law enacted by a legislative body (such as Congress or a state legislature) and usually signed by an executive officer.

Administrative Law ( Regulations )

is the branch of public law governing the creation, operation, and procedures of government agencies.

Constituional law

the body of law that interprets and applies a nation's constitution, defining the structure of government and protecting fundamental rights

Criminal Law

the system of legal rules defining conduct prohibited by the government because it threatens and harms public safety and welfare.

Misdemeanor

serious abuses of power, breaches of public trust, or political offenses rather than mere petty criminal misdemeanors.

Felony

a serious crime, generally punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or death.

Civil law

Civil law regulates non-criminal, private disputes (contracts, torts, property) between individuals or organizations, seeking remedies like damages, rather than punishment.

Advesary / Adversarial Legal System

a framework used primarily in common law countries (e.g., US, UK, Australia) where two opposing parties—prosecution/plaintiff and defense—present cases before a neutral judge or jury.

Jurisdiction

the legal authority, power, or right of a government, court, or agency to interpret, apply, and enforce laws within a specific territory or over specific subject matter

Original jurisdiction

is the power of a court to hear a case for the first time, rather than on appeal.

Appellate jurisdiction

the power of a higher court to review, amend, or reverse decisions made by lower courts

US Supreme Court

the highest judicial authority in the nation, established by Article III of the Constitution as the final arbiter of law and guardian of constitutional rights

US District Courts

are the general trial courts of the federal judiciary, serving as the starting point for most federal civil and criminal cases.

US Courts of Appeal

are intermediate federal courts that review decisions from district courts and federal agencies, focusing on legal errors rather than retrying facts

The President appoints judges to the Courts of Appeals—subject to Senate confirmation—who serve life terms.

Briefs

written arguments

Amicus Curiae Briefs

is a legal document filed in appellate or Supreme Court cases by individuals or organizations who are not direct parties to the litigation but have a strong interest or expertise in the subject matter.

Majority opinion

A majority opinion is a judicial document, supported by more than half of the justices (at least 5 of 9 on the Supreme Court), that officially decides a case, establishes binding legal precedent, and explains the court's reasoning.

Concurring opinion

a judicial statement by one or more judges that agrees with the majority's final decision but offers different or additional reasons for that decision.

Dissenting opinion

is a written statement by one or more Supreme Court justices or appellate judges explaining their disagreement with the majority decision in a case.

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

the highest-ranking judicial officer, presiding over the Supreme Court, managing the federal judiciary, and presiding over presidential impeachment trials

Writ of Certiorari

directs lower court to deliver records to higher court

Rule of four

4 justices needed to take a case

Judicial Review

is the power of U.S. courts to examine and invalidate executive acts, such as executive orders, that violate the Constitution, acting as a key check on presidential authority.

Marbury v Madison

us constitution is basic / fundamental law

legistlative / actions violate u.s. constitution are null / void

Judicial restraint

determine to ellected officials

Judicial activism

judge acts on his own ideas then to lack of deference

Living constitution

current moral / notions

Textualism / Original Intent

meaning of text when written

Federal Judges’ terms in office

Federal judges in the United States, specifically those appointed under Article III of the Constitution, hold lifetime appointments to ensure judicial independence, serving until they die, resign, retire, or are removed via impeachment.