Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | trail courts of general jurisdiction that can hear and decide most legal controversies in the federal system |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Hear appeals from the district courts  and review orders of certain administrative agencies |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Set aside the lower courts judgement |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Change the lower courts judgement |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Send the case back to the lower court |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Uphold the lower courts judgement |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Nations highest court whose principal function is to reveiw decisions of the Federal Courts of Appeals and the highest state courts |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | mandatory review by a higher court |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | hear minor criminal cases such as traffic   offenses and civil cases involving small amounts of money and conduct preliminary hearings in more serious criminal cases |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Have jurisdiction over cases in a particular area of federal law |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | inferior trial courts with jurisdiction over cases involving a limited dollar amount |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Have general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Trial courts, such as probate courts and family courts, which have jurisdiction over a particular area of state law |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Include one or two levels; the highest courts decisions are final except in those cases reveiwed by the US Supreme Court |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Authority of a court to hear and decide a case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Subject Matter Jurisdiction |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Authority of a court to decide a particular kind of case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Exclusive Federal Jurisdiction |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Jurisdiction that permits only the federal courts to hear a case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Concurrent Federal Jurisdiction |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Authority of federal or state courts to hear the same case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Any case arising under the constitution, statutes, or treaties of the United States |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Jurisdiction over the Parties |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Power of a court to bind the parties to a suit |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | jurisdiction based on claims against a person, in contrast to jurisdiction over property |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Jurisdiction based on claims against property |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Quasi in rem jurisdiction |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Jurisdiction over property not based on claims against it |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Particular geographical place where a court with jurisdiction may hear a case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Series of responsive, formal, written statements by each side to a law suit |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Initial pleading by the plaintiff stating his case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Notice given to inform a person of a lawsuit against her |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Judgment against a defendant who fails to respond to a complaint |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Defendants pleading in response to the plaintiffs complaint |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Plaintiffs pleading in response to the defendants answer |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Judgment on the Pleadings |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | final binding determination on the merits made by the judge after the pleadings |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Pretrial exchange of information between opposing parties to a lawsuit |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Binding determinations on the merits made by the judge before the trial |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Determines the facts and the outcome of the case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Preliminary examination of potential jurors |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Consists of opening statements by attorneys, direct and cross examination of witnesses and closing arguments |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Final binding determination on the merits made by the judge after a trial has begun but before the jury renders a verdict |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Judge gives the jury the particular rules of law that apply to the case |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Formal decision by the jury on questions submitted to it |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Motions Challenging Verdict |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Include motions for a new trial and a motion for judgment not withstanding the verdict |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
        
        | Judgment notwithstanding the verdict |  
          | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | a final binding determination on the merits made by the judge after and contrary to the jurys verdict |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Determines whether the trial court committed prejudicial error |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Plaintiff with an unpaid judgment may resort to a writ of execution to have the sheriff seize property of the defendant and to garnishment to collect money owed to the defendant by a third party |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | nonjudicial proceeding where a neutral third party selected by disputants renders a binding decision |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | arbitration voluntarily entered by the parties |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | arbitration required by statute for specific types of disputes |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | The decision of an arbitrator |  
          | 
        
        
         | 
        
        
        Term 
         | 
        
        
        Definition 
        
        | Nonbinding process in which a third party acts as an intermediary between the disputing parties |  
          | 
        
        
         |