25.INTRODUCTION TO LAW VOCABULARY REVISION QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS
Law - correct answer the rules and regulations made and enforced by government that regulate
the conduct of people within a society
Jurisprudence - correct answer the study of law and legal philosophy
Lex Rex - correct answer latin for "law is king;" a reference to the rule of law in a society
Rule of law - correct answer the idea that all members of a society from regular citizens to
government officials must respect, uphold, and obey the law, i.e. No one is above the law
Code of Hammurabi - correct answer one of the oldest written law codes dating back to 1754
B.C. during the time of the Babylonian Empire; based on the concept of lex talionis
Lex Talionis - correct answer latin for law of retaliation, i.e. An "eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth"
Decalogue - correct answer a name given to the 10 Commandments as set out in the Hebrew
Scriptures
Criminal law - correct answer regulates public conduct and set out duties owed to society
Felony - correct answer a crime carrying a penalty of more than one year in prison
Misdemeanor - correct answer a crime carrying a penalty of one year of less in prison
Civil law - correct answer regulates relations between individuals or groups of individuals
, Civil action - correct answer a law suit brought by a person who feels wronged or injured by
another person
Plaintiff - correct answer the party (person or company/group) initiating a civil action
Defendant - correct answer the party (person or company/group) accused of committing a
crime or harming/injuring another, i.e. The party defending itself in a civil or criminal case
Prosecutor - correct answer the person initiating legal action in a criminal case
Constitutional law - correct answer the body of law based on the U.S. Constitution which limits
the power of the government (creating a limited government); it is the highest law in the
United States, superseding state law
Limited Government - correct answer the basic principle of the U.S. constitutional system in
which the powers of the government are limited by the people, i.e. The government only has
powers granted to it by the people
Federalism - correct answer the division of power between the states and the federal (national)
government
Bill of Rights - correct answer the first ten amendments to the U.S. constitution
Separation of powers - correct answer the division of power among the branches of
government (executive, legislative, and judicial)
Checks and balances - correct answer the power of each of the three branches of government
(executive, legislative, and judicial) to limit the other branches' power in order to prevent an
abuse of power
ANSWERS
Law - correct answer the rules and regulations made and enforced by government that regulate
the conduct of people within a society
Jurisprudence - correct answer the study of law and legal philosophy
Lex Rex - correct answer latin for "law is king;" a reference to the rule of law in a society
Rule of law - correct answer the idea that all members of a society from regular citizens to
government officials must respect, uphold, and obey the law, i.e. No one is above the law
Code of Hammurabi - correct answer one of the oldest written law codes dating back to 1754
B.C. during the time of the Babylonian Empire; based on the concept of lex talionis
Lex Talionis - correct answer latin for law of retaliation, i.e. An "eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth"
Decalogue - correct answer a name given to the 10 Commandments as set out in the Hebrew
Scriptures
Criminal law - correct answer regulates public conduct and set out duties owed to society
Felony - correct answer a crime carrying a penalty of more than one year in prison
Misdemeanor - correct answer a crime carrying a penalty of one year of less in prison
Civil law - correct answer regulates relations between individuals or groups of individuals
, Civil action - correct answer a law suit brought by a person who feels wronged or injured by
another person
Plaintiff - correct answer the party (person or company/group) initiating a civil action
Defendant - correct answer the party (person or company/group) accused of committing a
crime or harming/injuring another, i.e. The party defending itself in a civil or criminal case
Prosecutor - correct answer the person initiating legal action in a criminal case
Constitutional law - correct answer the body of law based on the U.S. Constitution which limits
the power of the government (creating a limited government); it is the highest law in the
United States, superseding state law
Limited Government - correct answer the basic principle of the U.S. constitutional system in
which the powers of the government are limited by the people, i.e. The government only has
powers granted to it by the people
Federalism - correct answer the division of power between the states and the federal (national)
government
Bill of Rights - correct answer the first ten amendments to the U.S. constitution
Separation of powers - correct answer the division of power among the branches of
government (executive, legislative, and judicial)
Checks and balances - correct answer the power of each of the three branches of government
(executive, legislative, and judicial) to limit the other branches' power in order to prevent an
abuse of power
