AP GOV JUDICAL SYSTEM AND BUREAUCRACY

Federal bureaucracy

The vast network of agencies and employees of the federal government responsible for implementing laws and regulations.

Departments

Major administrative units with broad responsibilities in a specific policy area, headed by Cabinet secretaries.

Agencies

Governmental bodies with specialized functions within departments or as independent entities.

Commissions

Independent regulatory bodies that oversee specific economic sectors or public safety areas.

Government corporations

Government-owned entities that provide goods or services for a fee, operating like private businesses.

Regulations

Rules issued by government agencies that have the force of law, guiding the implementation of legislative policies.

Deregulation

The process of reducing government oversight and restrictions on business activities.

Iron triangles

Mutually beneficial relationships between interest groups, congressional committees, and bureaucratic agencies.

Issue networks

Informal alliances of interest groups, policy experts, and lawmakers who collaborate on specific policy issues.

Patronage

The practice of giving government jobs and favors to political supporters and allies.

Spoils system

A historical system where government jobs were awarded based on political loyalty rather than merit.

Political machine

A party organization that maintains power by controlling votes, jobs, and public contracts, often through patronage.

Civil service system

A system of hiring and promotion based on merit rather than political connections.

Merit system

Employment and promotion based on qualifications, ability, and performance rather than political affiliation.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

The federal agency that manages the civil service system, ensuring merit-based hiring and personnel management.

Discretionary authority

The power of bureaucratic agencies to make decisions on how to implement laws.

Rule-making

The process by which government agencies formulate new regulations or modify existing ones.

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Established methods and procedures followed by bureaucratic agencies to ensure consistency and efficiency.

Red tape

Complex rules and procedures that must be followed to get things done within the bureaucracy.

Stare decisis

The legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.

Judicial activism

Judicial rulings suspected of being based on personal or political considerations rather than existing law.

Judicial restraint

A philosophy where judges limit their power by deferring to decisions made by the legislative and executive branches.

Strict constructionism

An approach to constitutional interpretation emphasizing the text's literal meaning.

Loose constructionism

An approach allowing broader interpretation of the Constitution, considering context and societal changes.

Jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear and decide a case.

Original jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear a case for the first time.

Appellate jurisdiction

The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts.

Concurrent jurisdiction

Situations where multiple courts have authority over the same case.

Litigants

Parties involved in a lawsuit.

Precedent

A legal decision that serves as a rule or pattern in future similar cases.

Senatorial courtesy

A tradition where senators have influence over the appointment of federal judges in their states.

Originalism

The judicial interpretation of the Constitution that aims to follow the original intent or meaning of the framers.

Opinion/holding

A court's explanation of its decision in a case, including the legal reasoning.

Standing

The legal right to initiate a lawsuit, requiring a direct and substantial interest in the outcome.

Chief Justice

The head of the U.S. Supreme Court, presiding over its sessions and administrative functions.

The Cabinet

A group of presidential advisers, typically the heads of the executive departments.

Marbury v. Madison

A landmark Supreme Court case that established judicial review, allowing the Court to declare laws unconstitutional.

Federalist 78

An essay by Alexander Hamilton advocating for judicial independence and the power of judicial review.

Bureaucratic Rule-making

The authority of administrative agencies to create rules that have the force of law.

Oversight of the bureaucracy

The process by which Congress monitors and supervises federal agencies' implementation of policy.

Checks and Balances

A system ensuring that no branch of government becomes too powerful by providing each branch with oversight and control over others.

Appointment and Confirmation

The process by which the President appoints officials with the Senate's approval.

Judicial Philosophy

A set of ideas and beliefs guiding how justices interpret the Constitution and laws.

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

A law establishing the merit system for federal employment, reducing the influence of the spoils system.

Hatch Act

Legislation restricting the political activities of federal employees to ensure nonpartisan administration.

The Constitution

The supreme law of the United States, outlining the structure and powers of the federal government.

The Declaration of Independence

The document declaring American independence from Britain, emphasizing natural rights and government by consent.

Brutus I

An Anti-Federalist paper warning against a powerful central government and advocating for states' rights.

Federalist 10

An essay by James Madison discussing the dangers of factions and how a large republic can mitigate them.

Federalist 51

An essay by James Madison explaining the need for checks and balances in government.

Federalist 70

An essay by Alexander Hamilton arguing for a strong, energetic executive leader.

Federalist 78

An essay by Alexander Hamilton supporting an independent judiciary with the power of judicial review.