Constitutions
List 3 voting qualifications.
List 3 responsibilities you have as a citizen
Voting qualifications: 18 years of age by election day, U.S. citizen, Georgia Resident, district resident
Responsibilities: voting, paying taxes, serving on juries, being informed about issues
List the qualifications to run for BOTH houses of the General Assembly
House: 21 years, 2 years citizen of US, 1 year citizen of district
Senate: 25 years, 2 years citizen of US, 1 year citizen of district
List the qualifications for Governor and Lt. Governor.
30 years of age, US citizen for 15 years, GA citizen for 6 years
Describe how judges are chosen, including exceptions
Most judges in Georgia are elected. Juvenile justices are appointed by superior court judges. Sometimes magistrate judges are appointed as well.
Compare delinquent & unruly crimes and provide an example of each.
Sentencing?
delinquent: category of crimes that are illegal for both adults and juveniles (driving drunk; running a red light)
unruly: category of crimes that are illegal for only juveniles (truancy, breaking curfew, drinking alcohol)
Sentencing: both can receive 30 days in custody, probation, community service, or released to parents
Identify 3 rights you have specifically as a Georgia citizen
Life, liberty, and property
Hunt and fish
Freedom of conscience
Describe 3 ways the state collects revenue and identify 2 ways the revenue is used
To pay for salaries of state employees (governor, judges, representatives, etc.) and to support programs enforced through state agencies, like public health services
Provide 2 examples of a state agency performing its duty
Department of Education: amending state standards
Department of Transportation: fixing local neighborhood roads
Department of Revenue: Collecting taxes
What is the dual purpose of the judicial branch and provide an example of each
Interpret laws: determining that a law violates an individual's rights
Administer justice: sentencing a criminal to 10 years in prison for a felony
What is the relationship between Georgia's rural population and number of counties?
The large number of counties serves to create more representation for rural residents
List the 4 parts of the Georgia Constitution & explain the purpose of the first part.
Preamble: outlines the purpose and the principles on which the document is established
Bill of Rights: list of citizens' rights (this is the first article of the GA constitution)
Articles: sections of the GA constitution (i.e. Education, municipalities, branches, taxes)
The state must maintain a balanced budget. What must happen if there is a decrease in revenue?
If there is a decrease in revenue, there is less money for government services and programs
List 4 duties of the Governor & 1 of the Lt. Governor
Governor: sign laws, commander in chief of state patrol and militia, propose budget, enforces state laws, oversees state agencies
Compare and contrast criminal and civil law using at least 2 details each, and provide an example of each
Criminal: government vs. defendant, consequences include community service, fines, and jail time. Examples: theft, robbery
Civil: plaintiff vs defendant, both are private individuals (not the govt.), consequences are usually financial compensation
Examples: termination of a contract, defamation, custody
Differentiate between a municipality, county, and special purpose district. Provide an example of each.
municipality: city, provides some services over county services (recycle, police, schools, etc.); led by a mayor or city council; Stone Mountain, City of Decatur
county: provides services like water, trash collection, fire departments, police, road care etc.; led by a county commissioner and other elected officials like a sheriff; Dekalb, Fulton
Special purpose district: when an operation needs a specific government strucutre; led by a board; MARTA, schools, Georgia Port Authority
Identify and explain 3 similarities between the Georgia and U.S. Constitutions
Preamble, articles, bill of rights, amendments, separation of powers, checks and balances
List 4 duties of legislators in the General Assembly
draft/pass legislation
serve on committees
vote on amendments to go on a ballot
pass the state's budget
aid in redistricting
What is the relationship between committees, state agencies, and revenue?
Committees draft legislation, including permission to collect taxes to fund that legislation if needed. It is the department of revenue's job to collect those taxes, and then the state agencies can use that money to enforce the legislation.
Explain the differences in TYPE OF CRIME and SENTENCING for misdemeanors, felonies, and capital crimes.
Misdemeanors: minor crimes like petty theft and minor speeding. Maximum of a year in prison.
Felonies: more serious crimes like manslaughter and grand theft. Minimum of a year in prison
Capital Crimes: heinous crimes like kidnapping with bodily harm, terrorism, and treason. Can receive death penalty
List & explain the steps of the juvenile justice process.
Intake - juvenile taken into custody and is taken to an intake officer
Informal Adjustment - a judge decides if there is probable cause the juvenile committed a crime and its determined if they can go home, stay in custody, or receive informal adjustment (probation)
Petition - documentation filed placing the juvenile on the schedule for adjudication
Adjudication - juvenile trial in front of a judge
Disposition - similar to sentencing, juvenile may be on probation, in juvenile custody, or recieve community service
Identify and explain 4 ways the Georgia and U.S. Constitutions differ from one another
State: longer and more detailed, education, taxes, municipalities, governor, general assembly, different order
Federal: shorter and more vague, supremacy clause, states
Describe how a bill becomes a law, breaking the process down into at least
I. A community issue needs to be addressed, so a bill is submitted to the clerk of the House or Senate for scheduling. (A bill is introduced)
II. ________________________________
III.________________________________
IV. ________________________________
V. _________________________________
VI. ________________________________
VII. _______________________________
II. send bill to a standing committee, where it will be debated, amended, and voted on
III. If it's voted out of committee, it goes to the chamber floor for another read & then the house votes on it
IV. If it passes, it goes to the other house for the process to be repeated
V. If the other house makes any amendments, it must return to the original house to repeat the process. Both houses must pass identical versions of the same bill
VI. It goes to the governor, who can sign, veto, line-item veto, or ignore the bill
VII. The General Assembly can attempt to override a governor's veto with 2/3 vote
Bonus: What are the 3 categories IN ORDER Georgia spends the MOST money on in its budget?
*You do not have to know this, but I had a blank question box :)
1. K-12 Education
2. Health Care
3. Transportation
*You don't need to know this
List & Explain the steps of the adult justice system.
Arrest - suspect is arrested if police have evidence of a crime
Booking - put into the county jail system, documentation
Initial Appearance - go in front a magistrate judge who determines bail
Preliminary Hearing - probable cause hearing
Grand Jury - for felonies, a grand jury decides if there is enough evidence and probable cause that the suspect was involved; indictment
Assignment/Arraignment: appearance before superior court judge to be arraigned (read formal charges) and defendant submits a plea
Plea Bargaining
Trial
List the elected officials at the local government level. There are five.
Sheriff, tax commissioner, clerk of superior court, probate judge, county commissioner