set; set and conviction; no contest;

if defendant pleads “not guilty,” trial is ___.

; if defendant plead “guilty” (with or without a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution), punishment is __ and ___ entered.

; if defendant pleads ___ ___

the defendant is essentially saying “I didn’t do it, but I don’t want to go to trial, so I’ll accept punishment from the court to get it over with.

(when you agree to pay your speeding ticket rather than go to trial, you’re pleading __ ___

grand jury

3 to 5; 15 to 20; 12

the latter of which sits during a trial, hears evidence and renders a verdict in the trial and determines cause for criminal prosecution?

The district judge (appoints __ to__ citizens of the county to be jury commissioners. and they pick __ to __persons from the citizens of the county to be called as grand jurors for the next term of court. when __

qualified jurors are found to be present, the court impanels them as a grand jury, with one juror appointed foreman.

The grand jury serves to hear consider cases for prosecution over a several month term.　 The grand jury usually hears presentations from the __ ___ of cases to be considered for prosecution.　 The grand jury votes as to whether they believe sufficient evidence exists to take the case to trial.　 The grand jury in Texas considers __ and not ___ case. If the grand jury determines by vote that a case should be taken to trial, they issue an ___

against the defendant in the case.　___ votes are necessary for a decision to indict. The indictment is termed a __ ___against a prisoner; a decision not to indict is termed a __ __.Additional, the grand jury may conduct investigations and make reports to the district court on conditions in the county or the misconduct of an individual trial

right to trial by jury in US Constitution.

trial by jury in __ __

city court with limited criminal jurisdiction; original jurisdiction over traffic misdemeanors maximum penalty is a fine or sanction

new trial, necessary for an appeal from a court that is not a court of record

local county court for minor crime and civil suits

statutory county court to relieve county judge of judicial duties

___ ____verdicts appealed automatically and directly to Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

an opinion disagreeing with the majority in a supreme court ruling

a court order directing an official to perform an official duty

responsible for establishing the rules and procedures that govern trials and appeals in civil and juvenile cases in texas. Establishes the rules for the operation of state agencies in the judicial branch

a method for the selection of

judges

.; a non-partisan commission reviews candidates for a judicial vacancy. The commission then sends to the governor a list of candidates considered best qualified. The governor then has sixty days to select a candidate from the list. If the governor does not make a selection within sixty days, the commission makes the selection.

law made by judges in appellate decisions which establish precedent? (the ___ ___, precedent and stare decisis are the basis of English law and American law)

the making of law by a court in recognizing and applying new rules while administering justice; a decided case that furnishes a basis for determining later cases involving similar facts or issue

—[Latin for “to stand by things decided”] The doctrine of precedent, under which it is necessary for a court to follow earlier judicial decision made in appellate courts when the same points arise again in litigation

the jury listens to the facts in the case as presented by the two sides and decides the outcome of the case based on their decision on the facts

a jury of twelve persons that is impaneled to try and to decide the facts at issue in a trial compare

grand jury

elimination of potential jurors based on basic fairness issues

equal number of "strikes" of potential jurors by both sides for whatever reason (plaintiff and defendant seek final jury favorable to their side)

(written by the opposing attorneys under the supervision of the judge)--legal instructions for the jury to refer to during their deliberation

requires unanimous decision, 12 of 12, to decide either guilt or innocence

required agreement of only 10 of the 12 jurors

where jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict; mistrial is declared

US Supreme Court has both original and appellate jurisdiction under___ ___.

most of the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction has been turned over to the lower federal courts; however, the Supreme Court will hear a case under its original jurisdiction and hold a trial when the litigates are __ ___

first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court (by Reagan)

US Supreme Court decision which overturned the death penalty in the United States because its application violated the “cruel and unusual” prohibition of the 8th Amendment due to its　 “capricious and arbitrary” nature.　 The Court ruled the states could rewrite their death penalty statutes to provide for a consistent and nondiscriminatory use of the death penalty.

alternative to the death penalty