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De jure segregation
Racial segregation that occurs because of laws or administrative decisions by public agencies.
Delegate model
The view that an elected representative should represent the opinions of his or her constituents.
Democracy
A political system in which the people are said to rule, directly or indirectly.
Constitutional Convention
A meeting of delegates in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, producing a new constitution.
Descriptive representation
A correspondence between the demographic characteristics of representatives and those of their constituents.
Devolution
An effort to scale back national government size and shift domestic program responsibilities to the states.
Containment
The view that the United States should contain aggressive nations.
Dillon's rule
A principle that municipal corporations can exercise only the powers expressly given or necessarily implied by their charters.
Cost overruns
Actual costs that are several times greater than estimated costs.
Direct or participatory democracy
A political system where all or most citizens participate directly in making policy.
Discharge petition
A device allowing a member of the House to have a bill brought to the floor after it has been in committee for thirty days.
Criminal law
The body of rules defining offenses harmful to society as a whole, warranting punishment.
Critical or realigning periods
Periods during which a sharp, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties.
Dissenting opinion
A Supreme Court opinion by justices in the minority explaining their disagreement with the Court's ruling.
Cue (political)
A signal telling a congressional representative what values are at stake in a vote.
District courts
The lowest federal courts where federal cases begin and trials are held.
De facto segregation
Racial segregation in schools that occurs as a result of patterns of residential settlement.
Diversity cases
Cases involving citizens of different states over which federal courts have jurisdiction.
Conference committee
A temporary committee formed to reconcile differences in legislation that has passed both houses of Congress.
