Crime & Law Unit #1 Crime & Law Unit #1 Crime & Law Unit #1 Crime & Law Unit #1 Study Guide Study Guide Study Guide Study Guide

(Chap. 1(Chap. 1(Chap. 1(Chap. 1----6)6)6)6)

Essential Vocabulary (define the following):

� Criminal Law

� Civil Law

� Felony

� Misdemeanor

� Plaintiff

� Defendant

� Prosecutor

� Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

� Bill of Rights

� Trial Courts

� Civil Rights

� Civil Liberities

� Bills

� Appeals/Appellate Court

� Precedent

� Adversarial System

� Inquisitional System

� Voir Dire

� Error of Law

� Supreme Court

� Litigators

� Retainer

� Contingency Fee

Things to Know (answer in short answer):

� Bill of Rights and what individual rights they protect

� Similarities and Differences between Criminal and Civil cases

� Steps of a Federal Prosecutors Job

� How trial courts differ from appeal courts

� Requirements, processes, and role of the United State Supreme Court

� Basic steps to a trial

� Similarities and differences between adversarial and inquisitional system of justice

� Civil Liberties vs. Civil Rights

Questions to Consider (create an outline for the following):

� What is law? What purpose does it have? How do culture, morals, values, and ethics

impact our legal system and how we view justice as a society?

� Develop a logical argument for whether an adversarial legal system or an inquisitional

legal system is a fairer and more balanced justice system.

� Summarize how the jury system works within the American judicial system. How juries

are selected, what are the requirements to serve on a jury, and how do juries come to a

legal decision?

� Formulate an opinion on whether you think lawyers are an essential component to our

legal system. Be sure to support your opinion.