Uni

Reapportionment

is the process of redistributing seats in the United States House of Representatives based on each state's proportion of the national population

Redistrict

When states redraw their districts (A result of reapportionment)

Gerrymandering

Arranging the districts in a way that favors one party over the other

Incumbent

In an election, the person who is currently in the office and running for it again

Constituents

The people politicians have been elected to represent

Majority Leader

The Speaker’s top assistant and the floor leader for the majority party

Whips

Assistants to the Majority and Minority leaders who tries to persuade party members to vote with the party

Quorum

Half plus 1 of votes

President Pro Tempore

A member of the U.S. senate and usually a leader of the majority party who is chosen to serve as presiding officer of the senate in the absence of the vice-president

Filibuster

A person or member of the senate who doesn’t stop talking in order to delay the passing of a bill

Cloture

A 3/5th senate vote to limit a filibuster’s talking to one hour

Expressed Powers

Powers directly stated within the constitution

Necessary and Proper Clause

clause within the United States Constitution that grants Congress the power to pass whatever laws are deemed "necessary and proper" to help Congress to carry out the enumerated powers

Implied Powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow gov to carry out its functions.

Revenue Bill

Any bill that raises money for the government (the power to TAX)

Appropriations

funds set aside or spent for a specific purpose, such as by a government

Subpoena

a court order that requires a person or entity to appear in court or produce documents for a legal proceeding

Perjury

knowingly making a false statement under oath or knowingly signing a legal document that is false or includes false statements

Contempt

an act of disobedience or disrespect towards the judicial branch of the government, or an interference with its orderly process

Elector

a person who has the right to vote in an election

Electoral College

the group of presidential electors that is formed every four years during the presidential election for the sole purpose of voting for the president and vice president

Cabinet

An advisory body made up of the heads of the 15 executive departments. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate

Executive Order

official documents … through which the President of the United States manages the operations of the Federal Government

Treaty

written agreements between sovereign states (or between states and international organizations) governed by international law

Executive Agreement

an international agreement between the United States and a foreign government that is made by the president without the Senate's approval

Concurrent Jurisdiction

The power that allows more than one court to have the authority to hear the same case

Original Jurisdiction

the Supreme Court is the first, and only, Court to hear a case

Appellate Jurisdiction

the power to reverse or modify the lower court's decision

Due Process

guarantees that the government cannot take a person's basic rights to “life, liberty, or property without ___ ______.”

Grand Jury

a group of citizens who assess evidence in a criminal case to determine if there is enough to justify an indictment

Indictment

a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime

Petit Jury

a trial jury for both civil and criminal cases

Writ of Certiorari

a request that the Supreme Court order a lower court to send up the record of the case for review

Majority Opinion

an appellate opinion supporting the court's judgment (the result reached in the case) which receives a majority vote of the justices or judges hearing the case

Dissenting Opinion

an appellate opinion of one or more judges which disagrees with the reasoning stated in the majority or plurality opinion and, consequently, with the result reached in a case

Judicial Review

the power of the courts to review and invalidate actions taken by the other branches of government if they are deemed unconstitutional

Stare Decisis

a legal doctrine that requires courts to follow previous judicial decisions when similar cases arise

Precedent

a court decision that is considered an authority for deciding subsequent cases involving identical or similar facts, or similar legal issues

Judicial Activism

the practice of judges making rulings based on their policy views rather than their honest interpretation of the current law

Judicial Restraint

a judicial interpretation theory that limits the power of the courts and prevents them from interfering with the democratic process

Separation of Powers

the division of governmental authority into three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—each with specified duties on which neither of the other branches can encroach

Checks and Balances

A system provides each branch of government with individual powers to check the other branches and prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful