Legal Vocabulary
A serious crime punishable by at least one year in prison or even the death penalty.
Answer: What is a felony
The power of the court system to declare a law or executive action unconstitutional.
Answer: What is judicial review?
The initial booking phase after arrest where police record personal info, fingerprints, and photos.
Answer: What is booking?
The maximum age a person can be under Georgia law to be handled primarily in juvenile court.
Answer: What is under 17 years old
The key constitutional protection provided to adult defendants that juveniles do not have.
Answer: What is a trial by jury
A minor crime punishable by less than a year in jail, community service, or a fine.
Answer: What is a misdemeanor?
Along with interpreting the state constitution, this is the judicial branch's other main duty.
What is administering justice (or applying/enforcing laws)
The formal court hearing where a defendant hears their official charges and enters a plea.
Answer: What is an arraignment?
An act that is only illegal because of a youth's age, such as breaking curfew, truancy, or running away.
Answer: What is a status offense (or unruly behavior)
The landmark Supreme Court ruling (In re Gault) established that juveniles have this set of rights upon arrest.
Answer: What are due process / Miranda rights?
A legal dispute between private individuals or organizations over rights, contracts, or monetary damages.
Answer: What is civil law?
Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges in Georgia are chosen using this process.
Answer: What are non-partisan statewide elections
A panel of citizens that reviews evidence to decide if there is enough probable cause to formally indict someone.
Answer: What is a grand jury
An illegal action committed by a minor that would still be considered a crime if an adult did it.
Answer: What is a delinquent act
The initial evaluation stage where a juvenile court officer determines if a case should be dismissed or formally pursued.
Answer: What is an intake screening?
The strict standard of proof required to convict a defendant in a criminal trial.
What is beyond a reasonable doubt?
Georgia's court of last resort that reviews all constitutional challenges and death penalty appeals.
Answer: What is the Georgia Supreme Court?
An agreement where a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge to avoid going to trial.
Answer: What is a plea bargain?
Unlike the adult court system's focus on punishment, this is the primary goal of juvenile court.
Answer: What is rehabilitation?
The juvenile equivalent of an adult criminal trial, where a judge listens to evidence and renders a verdict.
Answer: What is an adjudicatory hearing?
The person or party who files a lawsuit in a civil court case.
Who is the plaintiff?
Georgia trial courts with exclusive jurisdiction over felony cases, land disputes, and divorces.
Answer: What are Superior Courts?
Property or money deposited with the court to guarantee an arrested suspect returns for trial.
Answer: What is bail
The group of serious offenses (like murder or armed robbery) that allow juveniles to be tried in adult Superior Court.
Answer: What are the Seven Deadly Sins (or designated felonies)
The chief law enforcement officer elected in each county to run the local jail and enforce laws.
Answer: Who is the Sheriff?