Legal Basics
Before diving into the legal world, it is important to know what certain terms mean and how the courts work. The cases mentioned in this research are handed on the federal level.
Typically, cases start at a local or state level (trial court) which would consist of a jury or judge trial. From there, the defendant can go through the appeals process for each state. However, in these cases the case is heard in the U.S. District Court before being appealed to one of the U.S. Circut Courts of Appeals [1]. From there, the case can be appealed once more, to the Supreme Court, who can decide whether or not they want to hear the case [2]. Below is a diagram that shows the appeals process in more detail.
Below are some court related definitions that could come in handy when navigating this site and the courts we dive into.
- Affirmed: the court of appeals (appellate court) concluded that the lower court's decision was correct and will stand [3].
- Appellate court: an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of a lower court [4].
- Appeal: a request made after a trial by the party that lost asking a higher court to review the previous decision [5].
- Burden of proof: the duty to prove disputed facts [6].
- Case law: the law established in previous court decisions [7].
- Due process: the Constitutional guarantee that the defendant will receive a fair and impartial trial [8].
- Judge: an offical with the authority to decide lawsuits brought before a court [9].
- Jury: a group of people selected the hear the evidence in a trial and decide a verdict on the matters brought before them [10].
- Opinion: a judge's written explanation of the decision of the court. [11].
- Plaintiff: a person or business that files a formal complaint with a court [12].
- Plea: the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" [13].
- Precedent: a court decision in an earlier case with facts and legal issues similar to the case in question [14].
- Writ: a written court order directiong a person to take, or refrain from taking, a certain act [15].
- Writ of certiorari: an order issued by the U.S. Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case which it will hear an appeal [16].