Across
- 1. the highest civil court in Texas; consists of nine justices and has final state appellate authority over civil cases.
- 3. the presentation of a grievance by the plaintiff in a civil case.
- 5. a trial held without a jury and before only a judge.
- 8. courts that tend to hear less serious criminal cases than those heard by district courts; they usually hear civil cases that involve smaller economic claims than are heard by district courts.
- 10. a civil wrong that causes harm to another; it is remedied by awarding economic damages to the injured party.
- 13. the person in each of Texas's 254 counties who presides over the county commissioners' court, with responsibility for the administration of county government; some county judges carry out judicial responsibilities.
- 14. jury that determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial; grand juries do not rule on the accused's guilt or innocence.
- 18. a judicial reform under which judges would be nominated by a blue-ribbon committee, then be appointed by the governor and, after a brief period in office, run in a retention election.
- 21. the branch of law that regulates the conduct of individuals, defines crimes, and specifies punishment for criminal acts.
- 24. the courts that exist in some counties and that are presided over by county judges.
- 26. the highest criminal court in Texas; consists of nine justices and has final state appellate authority over criminal cases.
- 27. a minor criminal offense, usually punishable by a fine or a jail sentence.
- 28. an election in which voters decide whether to keep an incumbent in office by voting "yes" or "no" to retain the incumbent and in which there is no opposing candidate.
- 29. local trial courts with limited jurisdiction over small claims and very minor criminal misdemeanors.
Down
- 2. local trial courts with limited jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances and very minor criminal misdemeanors.
- 4. a serious criminal offense, punishable by a prison sentence or a fine; a capital felony is possibly punishable by death.
- 6. a branch of law that deals with disputes, usually between private individuals over relationships, obligations, and responsibility.
- 7. the legal standard in criminal cases that requires the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- 9. specialized courts whose jurisdiction is limited to probate and guardianship matters.
- 11. the presentation of a defendant's defense against an allegation in a civil case.
- 12. the standard of proof in a civil jury case, by which the plaintiff must show that the defendant is more likely than not the cause of the harm suffered by the plaintiff.
- 13. a fee paid to the lawyer in a civil case that is contingent on winning the case.
- 15. a regulation enacted by a city government in each of Texas's incorporated cities and towns.
- 16. a method of voting where a voter checks a box by one of the political parties on the ballot, which casts his/her vote for every candidate on the ballot with that political party affiliation.
- 17. negotiated agreement in a criminal case in which a defendant agrees to plead guilty in return for the state's agreement to reduce the severity of the criminal charge or prison sentence the defendant is facing.
- 19. usually part of district courts and focusing on trying to resolve the underlying problems such as mental health, alcohol and drug abuse, and prostitution that lead to recurring criminal behavior.
- 20. the 14 intermediate-level appellate courts that hear appeals from district and county courts to determine whether the decisions of these lower courts followed legal principles and court procedures correctly.
- 22. a criminal case in which the death penalty is a possible punishment.
- 23. the major trial courts in Texas, which usually have general jurisdiction over a broad range of civil and criminal cases.
- 25. a written statement issued by a grand jury that charges a suspect with a crime and states that a trial is warranted.