T. Sims Unit 5 Vocabulary (PDF)

UNIT 5 VOCABULARY Judicial Branch  JUDICIAL BRANCH Appellate Jurisdiction The authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) courts Arbitration Settling a dispute by agreeing to accept the decision of an impartial outsider ...

UNIT 5 VOCABULARY Judicial Branch  JUDICIAL BRANCH Appellate Jurisdiction The authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) courts Arbitration Settling a dispute by agreeing to accept the decision of an impartial outsider  JUDICIAL BRANCH Brief Defendant A written document In a criminal action, the explaining the position of one person or party accused side or the other in a case of an offense.  JUDICIAL BRANCH DissentingOpinion A statement written by Felony a justice who disagrees A serious crime with the majority opinion, presenting his or her opinion JUDICIAL BRANCH Jurisdiction The authority of a court to hear a case Litigation Legal proceedings JUDICIAL BRANCH Majority Opinion A court opinion reflecting the views of the majority of the judges. Mecklenburg Superior Court The Superior Courts are the general jurisdiction trial courts for the state. All felony criminal cases, civil cases involving more than $10,000 and misdemeanor, and infraction appeals from District Court are tried in Superior Court. A jury of 12 hears the criminal cases  Mediation JUDICIAL BRANCH A method of settling disputes outside of court by using the services of a neutral third party, called a mediator. Misdemeanor A minor crime  JUDICIAL BRANCH Original Jurisdiction The authority to hear cases for the first time Precedent An act or decision that sets an example for others to follow  JUDICIAL BRANCH Remand Prosecutor To send a case back to a lower The state or federal court to be tried again government attorney in a criminal case. JUDICIAL BRANCH Stare Decisis "Let the decision stand"...courts generally follow the decisions of lower courts in similar cases that set a precedent Supreme Court The highest judicial court in a country or state, taking judicial precedence over all other courts in the nation.