Criminal Law
What is a crime?
An act that violates a criminal law.
What is the supreme law of the United States?
The U.S. Constitution.
Who is the person who decides questions of law in a trial?
The judge.
What is the job of the police?
To enforce laws, respond to incidents, investigate suspected crimes, and help protect public safety.
Which famous case established judicial review by the Supreme Court?
Marbury v. Madison (1803).
What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor?
A felony is generally a more serious crime while a misdemeanor is generally less serious.
Which amendment protects freedom of speech?
The First Amendment.
Who represents the government in a criminal prosecution?
The prosecutor.
What does “presumption of innocence” mean?
A person accused of a crime is considered innocent unless the prosecution proves guilt in court.
Which Supreme Court case ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional?
Brown v. Board of Education (1954).
What does “beyond a reasonable doubt” mean?
The high standard of proof the prosecution must meet to convict someone in a criminal trial.
Which amendment protects people against unreasonable searches and seizures?
The Fourth Amendment.
What is a jury?
A group of citizens selected to hear evidence and decide facts in a trial.
What is a search warrant?
A court-authorized document allowing a search under specified conditions.
Which Supreme Court case required police to inform certain suspects of their rights before custodial interrogation?
Miranda v. Arizona (1966).
What is the difference between murder and manslaughter?
Murder generally involves an unlawful killing with a more serious level of intent or circumstances, while manslaughter generally involves a killing under circumstances that make it a less serious offense.
Which amendment protects a person's right against being forced to testify against themselves in a criminal case?
The Fifth Amendment.
What is the difference between a plaintiff and a defendant in a civil case?
The plaintiff brings the lawsuit, and the defendant is the person or party being sued.
What are Miranda rights intended to protect?
They protect certain rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, when a person is in custody and being interrogated.
Which Supreme Court case addressed presidential executive privilege and required President Nixon to turn over evidence in a criminal investigation?
United States v. Nixon (1974).
What is the difference between criminal law and civil law?
Criminal law deals with offenses prosecuted by the government, while civil law generally deals with disputes between people or organizations.
What is the purpose of checks and balances?
To prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful by allowing branches to limit one another.
What is an appeal?
A request for a higher court to review a lower court's decision for legal errors.
What is probable cause?
A reasonable basis, supported by facts and circumstances, to believe that a crime occurred or that evidence of a crime may be found in a particular place.
Which Supreme Court case established that a defendant who cannot afford an attorney must be provided one in serious criminal cases under the Sixth Amendment?
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963).