Unit 10 Vocab & People Part A

  1. Amendments – changes made to the Georgia and/or the U.S. Constitutions

  1. Appeal – to take a case to a higher court for rehearing 

  1. Attorney General – the state’s chief legal officer and head of the Department of Law

  1. Checks & balances -  the system that gives each branch of government some ways to keep the other two branches from becoming too powerful.

  1. Chief Justice – presiding judge of the Supreme Court

  1. Constituent – a person in a legislator’s district

  1. Constitution – the fundamental plan of operation for a government

  1. Due Process – legal steps that ensure fair treatment under the law

  1. Georgia General Assembly – Georgia’s legislative branch; made up of a bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate

  1. Government – an organization that has the power to make and enforce laws

  1. Governor – the head of the executive branch of the state government

  1. Jurisdiction – the authority of a court to decide a case

  1. Lieutenant Governor – an elected official who serves as a deputy to the governor; also serves as president of the Georgia Senate

  1. Non-partisan -  not tied to a political party

  1. Preamble – the introductory statement of a constitution

  1. Precinct – a voting district

  1. President of the Senate – presiding officer of the Senate

  1. Referendum – a direct vote by the people on an issue

  1. Revenue – income from taxes and fees

  1. Secretary of State – keeps the state’s official records; publishes laws passed by the legislature, supervises elections, grants corporate charters, and regulates corporations and nonprofit organizations. 

  1. Separation of powers - the division of powers among the 3 branches of government

  1. Speaker of the House – presiding officer of the General Assembly’s House of Representatives 

  1. Supreme Court – the highest ranking court in the Georgia court system

  1. Veto – to reject or refuse to sign a bill