Judicial Branch Vocabulary

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Inferior Courts

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The lower federal courts, beneath the Supreme Court

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Jurisdiction

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The authority of a court to hear a case

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Exclusive Jurisdiction

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Power of the federal courts alone to hear certain cases

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Concurrent Jurisdiction

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Power shared by federal and State courts to hear certain cases

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Plaintiff

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In civil law, the party who brings a suit or some other legal action against another (the defendant)

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Defendant

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In a civil suit, the person against whom a court action is brought by the plaintiff; in a criminal case, the person charged with the crime

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Original Jurisdiction

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The power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court

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Appellate Jurisdiction

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The authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) courts

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Criminal Cases

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A case in which a defendant is tried for committing a crime as defined by the law

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Civil Case

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A case involving a noncriminal matter such as a contrast dispute or claim of patent infringement

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Docket

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A court's list of cases to be heard

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Writ of Certiorari

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An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up the record in a given case fore review; from the Latin meaning "to be more certain"

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Certificate

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A method of putting a case before the Supreme Court; used when a lower court is not clear about the procedure or rule of law that should apply in a case and asks the Supreme Court to certify the answer to a specific question

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Majority Opinion

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Officially called the Opinion of the Court; announces the Court's decision in a case and sets out the reasoning upon which it is based

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Precedent

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Court decision that stands as example to be followed in future, similar cases

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Concurring Opinion

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Written explanation of the views of one or more judges who disagree with (dissent from) a decision reached by a majority of the court

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Redress

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Satisfaction of a claim payment

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Civilian Tribunal

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A court operating as part of the judicial branch, entirely separate from the military establishment

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Court Martial

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A court composed of military personnel, for the trials of those accused of violating military law