Judicial Branch & Civil Rights/Liberties Vocabulary

AP U.S. Government & Politics flashcards for the Judicial Branch Civil Rights/Civil Liberties Unit Test. Key vocabulary terms.

Civil Liberties

Rights or freedoms that are guaranteed to individuals and protect them from unwarranted governmental intrusion.

Exclusionary Rule

The principle that illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in a court of law.

Civil Rights

Rights that protect individuals from discrimination based on characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, and disability.

De Jure Segregation

Segregation established by law.

De Facto Segregation

Segregation resulting from practices, customs, or social factors rather than laws.

Affirmative Action

Policies or programs designed to redress past and present discrimination by providing advantages to historically disadvantaged groups.

Stare Decisis

A Latin term meaning "to stand by things decided", it refers to the principle of adhering to precedents in judicial decisions.

Amicus Curiae

Latin for "friend of the court." A brief presented by someone interested in influencing the outcome of a lawsuit but who is not a party to it.

Habeas Corpus

A court order demanding that an individual in custody be brought into court and shown the cause for detention. Habeas corpus is guaranteed by the Constitution and can be suspended only in cases of rebellion or invasion.

Writ of Certiorari

An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up a case for review.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional and invalidate actions of the legislative and executive branches.

Judicial Activism

The philosophy that judges should interpret the Constitution to reflect current conditions and values.

Judicial Restraint

A judicial philosophy in which judges play minimal policymaking roles, leaving that duty strictly to the legislatures