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Civil law
Law pertaining to private disputes between individuals.
Common law
Unwritten law developed from judicial decisions and customs.
Concurring opinion
Agrees with the majority opinion for different reasons.
Criminal law
Law concerned with punishing crimes.
Dissenting opinion
Disagrees with the majority opinion.
Judicial activism
Philosophy advocating for broad judicial power to further justice.
Judicial restraint
Interprets law as written without considering current culture.
Judicial review
Power of the judicial branch to review actions of executive and legislative branches.
Litigation
Process of taking legal action.
Political questions
Issues that cannot be determined by the court.
Precedent
Majority opinion serves as an example for future cases.
Per curiam decision
Decision made "by the court."
Rule of four
Four justices must agree to hear a case.
Strict construction
Literal interpretation of legal documents.
Stare decisis
Following precedents established in past decisions.
Statutory law
Law from authoritative and specific law-making sources.
Federal district courts
Trial courts that hear most federal cases.
Original jurisdiction
The court where a case is first heard.
Writ of certiorari
SCOTUS orders a lower court to send a case for review.
Writ of habeas corpus
Petition requesting proof of lawful imprisonment.
Amicus curiae
“friend of the court”
Note 
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