Judicial Vocabulary

the highest federal court; hears appeals from the U.S. Court of Appeals & state supreme courts

• state court

• Supreme Court

• federal court

• district court

another name for a judge, usually on a state or U.S. Supreme Court

• Justice

• Magistrate

• Maestro

• Attorney

the head judge & leader on the U.S. Supreme Court

• Chief Magistrate

• Chief Judge

• Lead Justice

• Chief Justice

a crime that is not very serious

• felony

• misdemeanor

• jurisdiction

• arrest

a serious crime, such as arson, burglary, assault, etc.

• misdemeanor

• felony

• appeal

• accuse

a case where private citizens or companies sue each other in court; they are not about breaking laws

• civil case

• criminal case

• federal case

• municipal case

a court case where someone is alleged to have broken a law

• criminal case

• civil case

• financial case

• reform case

these courts hear cases involving state laws and conflicts within a state

• federal courts

• criminal courts

• state courts

• familiy courts

these courts hear cases involving the constitutionality of a law, and cases that occur between people of different states

• state courts

• military courts

• federal courts

• family courts

a person who oversees a trial to make sure the rules are followed; they sometimes make the decision (verdict)

• magistrate

• senator

• lawyer

• judge