circuit court
Roving judicial body
A circuit court is a court that convenes in different locations within its jurisdiction, with judges traveling a circuit to hear cases.
In the U.S. federal system, circuit courts are the intermediate appellate courts between district courts and the Supreme Court: The case was appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Some U.S. states also use circuit court for trial-level courts of general jurisdiction.
Shared seating surface
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- judgeshipJudicial office or tenure
- juristLegal expert or scholar
- chambersEnclosed functional rooms
chief judge · senior judge · clerk · bailiff · federal judiciary · confirmation · appointment · vacancy
Legal decision-making body
- verdictOfficial court decision
- witnessOne who attests
- courtroomJudicial proceedings chamber
- deliberationCareful weighing of choices
objection · opening statement · closing argument · recess · summons · jury instruction · exhibit · sworn testimony
Requests for reconsideration
- reversalComplete change of direction
- remandReturn for further proceedings
- affirmDeclare to be true
- panelDistinct flat section
precedent · majority opinion · dissent · mandate · petitioner · respondent · interlocutory · oral argument
Court's case schedule
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- cross-examinationOpposing party questions witness
deposition · pleadings · brief · caseload · litigation · plaintiff · defendant · prosecution
Bounded administrative area
- venuePlace of occurrence
- federalDivided governmental authority
- territorialDefensive about owned space
- boundaryLine marking a limit
subject matter · removal · transfer · forum · original jurisdiction · geographical · multi-state
bench
Shared seating surface
- magistrateCivil judicial officer
- judgeshipJudicial office or tenure
- juristLegal expert or scholar
chambers · chief judge · senior judge · clerk · bailiff · federal judiciary · confirmation · appointment · vacancy
jury
Legal decision-making body
deliberation · objection · opening statement · closing argument · recess · summons · jury instruction · exhibit · sworn testimony · redirect
appeals
Requests for reconsideration
panel · precedent · majority opinion · dissent · mandate · petitioner · respondent · interlocutory · oral argument · de novo
docket
Court's case schedule
cross-examination · deposition · pleadings · brief · caseload · litigation · plaintiff · defendant · prosecution · defense
district
Bounded administrative area
- venuePlace of occurrence
- federalDivided governmental authority
- territorialDefensive about owned space
boundary · subject matter · removal · transfer · forum · original jurisdiction · geographical · multi-state
- state courtssmall claims
- legal systemattorney, landmark cases, criminal cases, lawyers, legal precedents
- courtsdistrict courts, federal courts, municipal courts, trial courts, family courts
- litigationpleadings, lawsuit, plaintiff, complaint, lawsuits
- US Lawattorney, lawyer, lawsuit, jury, felony
- court recordscase files, case file, sworn testimony, filing date, trial transcript
circuit courtSupreme Court
Nation's top tribunal
highest court · court of last resort · trial court · district court · lower court
circuit courtcriminal court
Forum for prosecuting offenses
tax court · bankruptcy court · family court · juvenile court · probate court
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