Basics of Law
This is the exam a person must pass to become a licensed attorney.
What is the bar exam?
This type of case involves disputes between private parties.
What is civil law?
This is the highest court in New York State.
What is the New York Court of Appeals?
This is the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
What is the Bill of Rights?
This is the legal term for a wrongful act that violates a criminal statute.
What is a crime?
This term refers to a lawyer who represents clients in court.
What is a litigator?
This is the burden of proof required in a criminal case.
What is beyond a reasonable doubt?
This is the lowest level of federal courts.
What are U.S. District Courts?
This principle divides power between the federal government and the states.
What is federalism?
In NYS, this term refers to crimes punishable by more than one year in prison.
What is a felony?
This is the general name for the body of judge‑made law developed over centuries.
What is common law?
Money awarded to a plaintiff in a civil case is called this.
What are damages?
This type of court reviews decisions made by lower courts.
What is an appellate court?
This document gives New York State its own set of rights and governmental structure.
What is the NYS Constitution?
These are the two main elements of most crimes: a guilty mind and a guilty act.
What are mens rea and actus reus?
These are the ethical rules that attorneys must follow when representing clients.
What are the rules of professional conduct?
This type of case is brought by the government against an individual.
What is a criminal case?
This term refers to a court’s authority to hear a case.
What is jurisdiction?
This principle divides government into three branches.
What is separation of powers?
This is the NYS law code that contains criminal statutes.
What is the New York Penal Law?
This Latin phrase means “to stand by things decided” and describes the principle that courts follow precedent.
What is stare decisis?
This is what we call a situation where one act results in both criminal charges and a civil lawsuit.
What is dual liability?
This is the path a case takes when appealed from a NYS trial court to the highest court.
What is Trial Court → Appellate Division → Court of Appeals?
This clause in the U.S. Constitution makes federal law superior to state law.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
This is the first court appearance where charges are formally read to the defendant.
What is an arraignment?