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| Generally, the request that a court with appellate jurisdiction review the judgment, decision, or order of a lower court & set it aside (reverse it) or modify it. |
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| The lawful authority of a court to review a decision made by a lower court. |
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| The court officer whose duties are to keep order in the courtroom & to maintain physical custody of the jury. |
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| The movement of a trial or lawsuit from one jurisdiction to another within the same jurisdiction. A change of venue may be made in a criminal case to ensure that the defendant receives a fair trial. |
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| A low-level court that focuses on quality-of-life crimes that erode a neighborhood's morale. Community courts emphasize problem-solving rather than punishment & build on restorative principles like community service & restitution. |
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| The court authorized by law to hear the final appeal on a matter. |
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| The professional courtroom actors, including judges, prosecuting attorneys, public defenders, & others who earn a living serving the court. |
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| A licensed trial lawyer hired or appointed to conduct the legal defense of a person accused of a crime & to represent him or her before a court of law. |
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| Any information having a tendency to clear a person of guilt or blame. |
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| A person who has special knowledge & skills recognized by the court as relevant to the determination of guilt or innocence. Unlike lay witnesses, expert witnesses may express opinions or draw conclusions in their testimony. |
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| The three-tiered structure of federal courts, comprising U.S. district courts, U.S. courts of appeal, & the U.S. Supreme Court. |
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| An elected or appointed public official who presides over a court of law & who is authorized to hear & sometimes decide cases & to conduct trials. |
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| The power of a court to review actions & decisions made by other agencies of government. |
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| The territory, subject matter, or people over which a court or other justice agency may exercise lawful authority, as determined by statute or constitution. |
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| A member of a trial or grand jury who has been selected for jury duty & is required to serve as an arbiter of the facts in a court of law. Jurors are expected to render verdicts of "guilty" or "not guilty" as to the charge brought against the accused, although they sometimes fail to do so (as in the case of a hung jury). |
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| An eyewitness, character witness, or other person called to testify who is not considered an expert. Lay witnesses must testify to facts only & may not draw conclusions or express opinions. |
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| The lawful authority of a court to hear or to act on a case from its beginning & to pass judgment on the law & the facts. The authority may be over a specific geographic area or over particular types of cases. |
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| An attorney whose official duty is to conduct criminal proceedings on behalf of the state or the people against those accused of having committed criminal offenses. |
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| The decision-making power of prosecutors, based on the wide range of choices available to them, in the handling of criminal defendants, the scheduling of cases for trial, the acceptance of negotiated pleas, & so on. The most important form of prosecutorial discretion lies in the power to charge, or to not charge, a person with an offense. |
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| An attorney employed to a government agency or subagency, or by a private organization under contract to a government body, for the purpose of providing defense services to indigent, or an attorney who has volunteered to such service. |
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| State Court Administrator |
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| A coordinator who assists with case-flow management, operation funds budgeting, & court docket administration. |
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| A state judicial structure. Most states have at least three court levels: trial courts, appellate courts, & a state supreme court. |
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| A written order issued by a judicial office or grand jury requiring an individual to appear in court & give testimony or to bring material to be used as evidence. Some subpoenas mandate that books, papers, & other items be surrendered to the court. |
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| Literally, "new trial." The term is applied to cases that are retried on appeal, as opposed to those that are simply reviewed on the record. |
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| Victims' Assistance Program |
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| An organized program that offers services to victims of crime in the area of crisis intervention & follow-up counseling & that helps victims secure their rights under the law. |
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