Law and Justice Ch.10 Vocab

Pretrial Release

The process by which a defendant is allowed to leave custody before their trial, typically involving conditions set by the court to ensure appearance at future hearings.

Bail Bond

A written agreement in which a specified amount of money is paid to secure a defendant's temporary release from jail, ensuring their appearance in court.

Release on Recognizance

A pretrial release mechanism allowing a defendant to remain free without posting bail, based on their promise to appear in court for future proceedings.

Conditional Release

A type of pretrial release where a defendant is allowed to go free under specific conditions, such as monitoring or additional restrictions, aimed at ensuring compliance with court requirements.

Plea

A formal statement in which a defendant agrees to plead guilty or not guilty to a criminal charge, often as part of a deal with the prosecution.

No contest (nolo contendere)

A legal plea where a defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, effectively treating it as a guilty plea for sentencing purposes without admitting guilt.

Plea Bargaining

A negotiation process in which a defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a lighter sentence or other concessions from the prosecution.

Adversarial System

A legal system where two opposing parties present their case before an impartial judge or jury, creating a competitive environment.

Peremptory Challenge

A defendant's right to reject a certain number of potential jurors without giving a reason during jury selection.

Voir dire

The process of questioning potential jurors to determine their suitability for serving on a jury. This aims to ensure an impartial jury and addresses any biases that may affect the trial.

Sequestered Jury

A jury that is isolated from the public during a trial to prevent outside influence and ensure a fair verdict.

Evidence

Any material items or information presented in court to support or refute claims, which can include testimonies, documents, and physical objects.

Direct Evidence

Evidence that directly proves a fact without needing inference, such as eyewitness testimony or video footage.

Circumstantial Evidence

Evidence that relies on inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact, such as footprints at a crime scene.

Testimony

A formal statement made by a witness under oath, providing facts or information relevant to a case in court.

Perjury

The act of lying or making false statements under oath during legal proceedings, which is a criminal offense.

Hearsay

An out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted, which is generally inadmissible as evidence.

Reasonable Doubt

The standard of proof required in criminal trials, where the jury must be convinced of the defendant's guilt to a high degree of certainty, leaving no reasonable uncertainty.

Reasonable Doubt Standard

The legal standard used in criminal trials, requiring that the jury believes there is no reasonable uncertainty regarding the defendant's guilt.

Verdict

The formal decision or judgment made by a jury or judge in a legal case, determining the outcome of the trial.