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| the study of law and legal philosophy |
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| regulate public conduct and set out duties owed to society |
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| a serious criminal offense punishable by a prison sentence of more than a year |
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| a criminal offense, less serious than a felony, punishable by a prison sentence of one year or less |
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| all law that does not involve criminal matters. Civil law usually deals with private rights of individuals, groups, or businesses |
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| a noncriminal lawsuit, brought to enforce a right or redress a wrong |
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| the person against whom a claim is made. In a civil suit the defendant is the person being sued; in a criminal case the defendant is the person charged with committing a crime |
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| in a civil case, the injured party who brings action against the alleged wrongdoer |
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| the government's attorney in a criminal case |
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| beyond a reasonable doubt |
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| the level of proof required to convict a person of a crime. It does not mean "convinvced 100 percent", but does mean there are no reasonable doubts as to guilt |
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| usually the standard of proof used in a civil suit; the burden of proof that a party must meet in order to win the lawsuit. To win, a party must provide evidence that is more convincing the other side's evidence |
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| a basic principle of our constitutional system. It limits government to powers provided it by the people |
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| The division of power among the branches of government |
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| laws enacted by legislature |
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| the power of each of the three branches of governmant to limit the other branches' power, so as to prevent an abuse |
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| the power of a chief executive to prevent enactment of a bill |
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| the process by which courts decide whether the laws passed by Congress or state legislatures are constitutional |
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| conflicting with some provision of the Constitution |
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| when a person has two or more concerns that are incompatible |
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| an attorney hired to be impartial |
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| the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guarantee basic individual rights to all persons in the U.S. |
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| the provision in Article VI of the Constitution stating that U.S. laws and treaties must be followed even if state and local laws disagree with them. |
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| a draft of a proposed law being considered by a legislature |
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| what the lawmakers who passed a law wanted the law to mean |
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| proceedings that are open to the public |
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| to take a caseto a higher courtfor a rehearing |
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| a court in which apeals from trial court decisions are heard |
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| court decisions on legal questions that guide future cases with similar questions |
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