State Assessment Vocabulary Review: Levels of Government & Legal System

1. 2012 State Assessment Vocabulary Review: Political Science

2. Levels of government City: provides local police, fire departments, etc. County: provides courts, libraries, parks, some law enforcement and jails State: Second only to the federal government, funds schools, roads, courts, highway patrol, enforces laws that cross county lines Federal: Provides for the national defense, postal service, handles international relations, enforces laws that cross state lines

3. The Law Juvenile (crime): For persons under the age of 18, trial by a judge, not a jury, records of the trial are not made public Adult (crime): For persons over the age of 18, trial by a jury, trial records are public Trial by Jury: 6-12 individuals determine a person’s guilt based on the evidence provided in court Trial by Judge: instead of a jury, the accused is deemed guilty or innocent based on a verdict handed down by a judge (also called a “Bench Trial”)

4. The Law part 2 • Due process: A person cannot be denied life, liberty, or property without the appropriate legal procedures (a trial) • Truancy: an incidence of a student being away from school without permission • . (in Kansas truancy can be considered a crime)

5. The Law Part 3 • Amendment Process: • If 2/3 of both houses of Congress approve an amendment, then the state legislatures vote • If ¾ of state legislatures approve then a change is made to the Constitution • Marbury V. Madison: Supreme Court case that established “Judicial Review.” This means that the courts have the power to declare laws and government acts unconstitutional • Classwork: The Stock Market Crash • Homework:Complete Assessment Review Sheets