Gov Test 4/29/11

• o Judges use earlier decisions as precedents as a
• basis for rulings

o Used in 49 states and our federal government

• o A prisoner must be brought before a court to be
• determined if he or she is being held legally

o Written law created by a legislature

o Often used for clarification

o Can be easily changed

• o Reported cases that, taken together, form
• precedents upon which later judicial decisions will be based

o Used to interpret the Constitution

o “Case by Case…”

o From the executive branch

• o The body of rules and regulations that agencies
• create to carry out responsibilities

• § Securities & Exchanges Commission deals with
• trading on the Stock Market

• o Believes a wrongdoing has been committed by
• another party (defendant)

• o Files
• the complaint

• o The one
• being charged with the crime

o Court orders to produce a witness or document

o Sets of questions the opposing side must answer

o A suspect must be informed of his/her rights

o Booked, photographed, fingerprinted

o Formal charges are given

• o If a grand jury feels there is enough evidence
• to go to trial, formal written charges are filed

An agreement between the prosecutor and the defendant

o Not guilty

• o If the jury is not unanimous/if there is a
• problem with the trial

§ Trial can go to another jury

• o These would not be considered crimes if the
• juveniles were of legal age
• § Running away
• § Truancy
• § Curfew violations
• § Drinking violations

• o Young people who have committed real crimes
• (same as those punishable for adults)

o Some may be tried as adults

o In some cases, there are informal hearings

o Records are kept confidential

• o SOMETIMES a juvenile’s record may be “wiped
• clean” when they become of age

• 1. Solve conflict
• 2. Protect rights
• 3. Limit government
• 4. Promote welfare (safety)
• 5. Set social goals
• 6. Control crime

• 1. Just
• 2. Reasonable
• 3. Enforceable
• 4. Understandable

Code of Hammurabi (written 4000 years ago)

Torah & the Bible are sources of law codes

• Romans:
• § Developed an organized legal system in 450 BC
• (Justinian Code)

• British:
• § Common Law: Judges use earlier
• decisions as precedents as a basis for rulings
• Used in 49 states and our federal government

• Magna Carta:
• § Royalty must also follow the law
• § Trial by jury
• § Habeas Corpus: A prisoner must be
• brought before a court to be determined if he or she is being held legally