Courts and Criminal Justice in America Test Questions with Correct Answers Fully Solved
Abandoned - Answers The desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility
for care or custody of that person
Absolute immunity - Answers The total immunity of a prosecutor from a suit
Accusation rule - Answers The US Supreme Court holding that the Sixth Amendment guarantee of a right
to a speedy trial attaches only after a person has been acused of a crime
Actual innocence awareness data base - Answers A computer-based resource maintained by the
University of Texas at Austin Tarlton law library that contains a wealth of information on the subject of
wrongful convictions
ad hoc assigned counsel system - Answers A method of appointing legal assistance in which the judge
chooses a defense attorney on a case by case basis
Ad hoc less bargaining - Answers A term coined by one legal scholar that refers to some strange
concessions defendants agree to make as part of the prosecutor's decision to secure a guilty plea
Adjournment - Answers The continuance of a scheduled event. The verb adjourn means to put off
Adjudication - Answers The process by which a court arrives at a decision regarding a case
Adjudicatory hearing - Answers The fact-finding process by which the juvenile court determines whether
there is sufficient evidence to sustain the allegations in a petition
Administrative Office of the US courts - Answers The federal agency that carries out the policies of the
Judicial Conference and provides a broad range of legislative, legal, financial, technology, management,
administrative, and program support service to the federal courts
Administrative regulations - Answers Rules promulgated by government agencies that have been given
the authority by the executive branch or legislative branch
Adversarialism - Answers The element incorporated into the American judicial system by the founding
fathers to promote argument, debate, and openness as a defense against oppressive government
Adversarial justice system - Answers The functional construct of the American Court system that
features two competing sets of interest (the defendants and the government's working against each
other in pursuit of the truth, from which stems the many protections our Constitution and laws afford
people
Affirmative defense - Answers A defense that goes beyond simply denying that a crime took place (e.g.
alibi, duress, entrapment, or self defense); also an answer to a criminal charge in which a defendant
takes the offense and responds to the allegations with his or her own assertions based on legal
principles. Affirmative defenses must be raised and supported by the defendant independently of any
claims made by the prosecutor.
, Aggravating circumstances - Answers Factors that increase the seriousness or the outrageousness of a
given crime (e.g., a homicide preceded by a period of prolonged torture).
Alibi - Answers A type of defense against a criminal charge wherein the defendant argues that he or she
was somewhere else at the time of the crime, making it impossible for him or her to have committed it.
Allen charge - Answers A set of instructions given to jurors after they become deadlocked that instruct
them to reexamine their opinions in an effort to reach a verdict
Allocution - Answers The defendant's explanation to the judge, usually in open court, of exactly what he
or she did and why. An Allocution is documented in court records and can be used against the defendant
in related civil proceeding.
Alternative dispute resolution - Answers Any means of settling disputes outside of the courtroom.
American Bar Association - Answers A professional organisation founded on August 12, 1878, whose
mission today is "to be the national representative of the legal profession, serving the public and the
profession by promoting justice, professionalism excellence and respect for the law.
American judicature society - Answers A professional association for judges, lawyers, and concerned
citizens that is involved in judicial ethics through efforts to promote the independence and integrity of
the courts.
Amicus curiae - Answers A term that literally means "a friend of the court." It is a legal brief filed by a
"person or group with strong interest in or views on the subject matter of an action," seeking to
influence the court "ostensibly on behalf of a party but actually to suggest a rationale consistent with its
own views."
Anticipatory solicitation - Answers The law school -based process of teaching an aspiring judge
important analytic and communication skills and arming him or her with much of the information he or
she will need in his or her future job.
Anti-terrorism and effective death penalty act - Answers The US legislation that was passed in the wake
of the bombings at the World Trade Center in 1993 and the Oklahoma City Federal Building in 1995 that
sought to toughen federal anti-terrorism capabilities.
Apology penalty - Answers A form of shaming penalty that requires offenders to express remorse,
usually publicly, for committing a particular crime.
Appeal of right - Answers An appeal that is automatically granted to the defendant by law (i.e., one that
must be heard by an appellate court); also called direct appeal
Arbitration - Answers A simplified version of a trial without discovery and with modified rules of
evidence.
Abandoned - Answers The desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility
for care or custody of that person
Absolute immunity - Answers The total immunity of a prosecutor from a suit
Accusation rule - Answers The US Supreme Court holding that the Sixth Amendment guarantee of a right
to a speedy trial attaches only after a person has been acused of a crime
Actual innocence awareness data base - Answers A computer-based resource maintained by the
University of Texas at Austin Tarlton law library that contains a wealth of information on the subject of
wrongful convictions
ad hoc assigned counsel system - Answers A method of appointing legal assistance in which the judge
chooses a defense attorney on a case by case basis
Ad hoc less bargaining - Answers A term coined by one legal scholar that refers to some strange
concessions defendants agree to make as part of the prosecutor's decision to secure a guilty plea
Adjournment - Answers The continuance of a scheduled event. The verb adjourn means to put off
Adjudication - Answers The process by which a court arrives at a decision regarding a case
Adjudicatory hearing - Answers The fact-finding process by which the juvenile court determines whether
there is sufficient evidence to sustain the allegations in a petition
Administrative Office of the US courts - Answers The federal agency that carries out the policies of the
Judicial Conference and provides a broad range of legislative, legal, financial, technology, management,
administrative, and program support service to the federal courts
Administrative regulations - Answers Rules promulgated by government agencies that have been given
the authority by the executive branch or legislative branch
Adversarialism - Answers The element incorporated into the American judicial system by the founding
fathers to promote argument, debate, and openness as a defense against oppressive government
Adversarial justice system - Answers The functional construct of the American Court system that
features two competing sets of interest (the defendants and the government's working against each
other in pursuit of the truth, from which stems the many protections our Constitution and laws afford
people
Affirmative defense - Answers A defense that goes beyond simply denying that a crime took place (e.g.
alibi, duress, entrapment, or self defense); also an answer to a criminal charge in which a defendant
takes the offense and responds to the allegations with his or her own assertions based on legal
principles. Affirmative defenses must be raised and supported by the defendant independently of any
claims made by the prosecutor.
, Aggravating circumstances - Answers Factors that increase the seriousness or the outrageousness of a
given crime (e.g., a homicide preceded by a period of prolonged torture).
Alibi - Answers A type of defense against a criminal charge wherein the defendant argues that he or she
was somewhere else at the time of the crime, making it impossible for him or her to have committed it.
Allen charge - Answers A set of instructions given to jurors after they become deadlocked that instruct
them to reexamine their opinions in an effort to reach a verdict
Allocution - Answers The defendant's explanation to the judge, usually in open court, of exactly what he
or she did and why. An Allocution is documented in court records and can be used against the defendant
in related civil proceeding.
Alternative dispute resolution - Answers Any means of settling disputes outside of the courtroom.
American Bar Association - Answers A professional organisation founded on August 12, 1878, whose
mission today is "to be the national representative of the legal profession, serving the public and the
profession by promoting justice, professionalism excellence and respect for the law.
American judicature society - Answers A professional association for judges, lawyers, and concerned
citizens that is involved in judicial ethics through efforts to promote the independence and integrity of
the courts.
Amicus curiae - Answers A term that literally means "a friend of the court." It is a legal brief filed by a
"person or group with strong interest in or views on the subject matter of an action," seeking to
influence the court "ostensibly on behalf of a party but actually to suggest a rationale consistent with its
own views."
Anticipatory solicitation - Answers The law school -based process of teaching an aspiring judge
important analytic and communication skills and arming him or her with much of the information he or
she will need in his or her future job.
Anti-terrorism and effective death penalty act - Answers The US legislation that was passed in the wake
of the bombings at the World Trade Center in 1993 and the Oklahoma City Federal Building in 1995 that
sought to toughen federal anti-terrorism capabilities.
Apology penalty - Answers A form of shaming penalty that requires offenders to express remorse,
usually publicly, for committing a particular crime.
Appeal of right - Answers An appeal that is automatically granted to the defendant by law (i.e., one that
must be heard by an appellate court); also called direct appeal
Arbitration - Answers A simplified version of a trial without discovery and with modified rules of
evidence.
