F
Foreign policy
Set of goals that guide a nations’ relations with other countries
Executive privilege
Right of a president to keep some information secret from Congress and the courts
Summary judgment
Power of a judge to decide a dispute without sending it to court
Dissenting opinion
Opinion by a Supreme Court justice that goes against the majority opinion
Civil law
Group of laws that help settle disagreements between people
treaty
Formal agreement between countries
negotiate
To reach an agreement through discussion
Original jurisdiction
Authority of a court to hear a case first
Impartial
Fair; treating all sides the same
felony
Serious crime for which the penalty can be imprisonment for more than one year
ambassador
Official representative to a foreign government
Ceremonial
Formal; involving a public ritual or celebration
Appeal
To ask a higher court to reconsider a lower court’s decision
Interpret
To explain the meaning of
misdemeanor
Less serious crime for which the penalty is often a fine
Executive agreement
Agreement with a foreign leader that does not require Senate approval
precedent
Case that provides a guideline for how similar cases should be decided in the future
Writ of certiorari
Formal order to review a lower court case
Statute law
Laws made by Congress or by state legislatures
Warrant
Legal paper, issued by the court, giving police permission to make an arrest, seize property, or conduct a search
Domestic policy
Set of goals that deals with national issues such as taxation or healthcare
Court order
Legal command issued by a judge to a party in a court case
opinion
Written statement explaining the reasons for a Supreme Court decision
Common law
Body of law based on judges decisions
Grand jury
Group of citizens who decide whether there is probable cause for believing that the defendant committed the crime