GOVT FINAL

Chief Executive

Role of the President in enforcing federal laws and running the executive branch

Commander in Chief

President's role as leader of the armed forces

Chief Diplomat

President's role in directing foreign policy and negotiating treaties

25th Amendment

Details presidential disability and succession procedures

Electoral College

System for electing the U.S. President through state-appointed electors

Primary Election

Statewide vote to choose a party's candidate for president

Caucus

Local meeting to choose delegates supporting a presidential candidate

Swing State

State where both parties have similar support, crucial in elections

District Plan

Allocates electoral votes by congressional district outcomes

270 Compact

States pledge electoral votes to national popular vote winner

Judicial Review

Power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional

Marbury v. Madison

Case that established judicial review

Original Jurisdiction

Court hears a case for the first time

Appellate Jurisdiction

Court reviews a lower court's decision

Writ of Certiorari

Request for the Supreme Court to review a case

Judicial Activism

Belief in using judicial power to enforce rights and policies

Judicial Restraint

Belief that courts should defer to elected branches

Stare Decisis

Doctrine of following precedent in court decisions

14th Amendment

Grants citizenship, due process, and equal protection

Incorporation Doctrine

Applies Bill of Rights to states through the 14th Amendment

Symbolic Speech

Nonverbal expression protected under the First Amendment

Lemon Test

Three-part test to assess constitutionality of religious laws

Affirmative Action

Policies that favor historically disadvantaged groups

Obscenity

Form of speech not protected by the First Amendment

Self-Incrimination

Right to remain silent to avoid testifying against oneself

Double Jeopardy

Protection from being tried twice for the same crime

Ex Post Facto Law

Law that punishes actions retroactively, unconstitutional

Barron v. Baltimore

Ruled Bill of Rights didn't apply to states (overturned)

Gitlow v. New York

Started incorporation of free speech to states

Near v. Minnesota

Incorporated freedom of the press to the states