Chapter 9 vocab

9/21/15
Dalton Keller
1. Plea negotiations/plea bargaining Discussions between defense counsel and prosecution
in which the accused agrees to plead guilty in exchange for certain considerations, such
as reduced charges or a lenient sentence
2. Court of limited jurisdiction A court has jurisdiction over misdemeanors and conducts
preliminary investigations of felony charges
3. Specialized court A court that has primary jurisdiction over specific types of offenses
and that operates differently than a traditional criminal court, such as with a concern over
outcomes and extensive judicial monitoring
4. Court of general jurisdiction A state or federal court that has jurisdiction over felony
offenses serious crimes that carry a penalty of incarceration in a state or federal prison
for one or more years
5. Appellate court A court to which appeals are made on points of law resulting from the
judgment of a lower court; the appellate court may be asked to evaluate the impact of
new evidence but more typically decides whether the state or federal constitution was
improperly interpreted during a case
6. U.S. district court A trial court in the federal court system
7. U.S. court of appeals An appellate court in the federal court system
8. U.S. Supreme Court The highest appellate court in the United States
9. Court of last resort A court that handles the final appeal on a matter in the federal
system, the U.S. Supreme Court
10. Writ of certiorari An order of a superior court requesting that a record of an inferior
court (or administrative body) be brought forward for review or inspection
11. Rule of four The convention that four justices must agree to hear a case before a writ of
certiorari is granted
12. Judge The senior officer in a court of law, who is authorized to hear and decide cases
13. Missouri plan A method of judicial selection that combines a judicial nominating
commission, executive appointment, and nonpartisan confirmation elections
14. Alternative dispute resolution A means of settling disputes outside the courtroom
15. Arbitration A process of dispute resolution in which a neutral third party (arbitrator)
renders a decision after a hearing at which both parties agree to be heard
16. Mediation An informal dispute resolution process in which a neutral third party
(mediator) helps disputing parties reach an agreement
17. Prosecutor An appointed or elected member of the practicing bar who is responsible for
bringing the states case against the accused
18. United States Attorneys The nations principal (federal) litigators, appointed by the
president. Assistant United States attorney are tasked with, among other duties,
prosecuting criminal defendants in federal court
19. Attorney general The chief legal officer and prosecutor of each state and of the United
States

20. District attorney The county prosecutor who is charged with bringing offenders to
justice and enforcing the criminal laws of the state
21. Community prosecution A prosecutorial philosophy that emphasizes community
support and cooperation with other agencies in preventing prime, as well as a less
centralized and more proactive role for local prosecutors
22. Prosecutorial discretion The prosecutors authority to decide whether to bring a case to
trial or to dismiss it outright
23. Nolle Prosequi The decision by a prosecutor to drop a case after a complaint has been
made because of, for example, insufficient evidence, witness reluctance to testify, police
error, or office policy
24. Grand jury A group of citizens chosen to hear charges against persons accused of crime
and to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to bring those persons to trial
25. Diversion The use of an alternative to trial, such as referral to treatment or employment
programs
26. Defense attorney Legal counsel for the defendant in a criminal case, representing the
accused person from arrest to final appeal
27. Indigent defendant a defendant who lacks the funds to hire a private attorney and is
therefore entitled to free counsel
28. Assigned counsel a private attorney appointed by the court to represent a criminal
defendant who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer
29. Recoupment Process by which the state later recovers some or all of the cost of
providing free legal counsel to an indigent defendant
30. Contract system Provision of legal services to indigent defendants by private attorneys
under contract to the state or county
31. Pro bono The practice by private attorneys of taking the cases of indigent offenders
without fee as a service to the profession and the community
32. Subpoena A court order requiring a witness to appear in court at a specified time and
place