Glossary

a voting-by-mail option offered by some states instead of voting in person when a ballot is requested in advance

one who works to bring about social or political change

the 1946 act passed by Congress that governs the process by which federal agencies develop and issue regulations

the rules of administrative agencies that have the force and effect of law

an organization that is authorized to act for or in place of another

upcoming order of business of a public meeting usually posted in advance of the meeting

one who is authorized to act for or in place of another

an official or unofficial representative or messenger

a chief executive’s power to amend or revise legislation before signing it into law

changes to a governing document

the thirteen colonies’ war for independence from Great Britain; also know as the American War for Independence

a brief filed by a third party to advise a court, literally a friend of the court brief

the process of urban expansion by which some suburban areas become legally attached to or joined with existing municipalities

document that shows all of the incoming revenue and outgoing expenditures for the year

second-tier court where a case is reviewed after having been tried in a first-tier court

authorization (usually by the legislature) to allocate and spend government funds

a paragraph division within a code of law

the nation’s first constitution

a process where the entire chamber operates under the rules for the committee

federal deputy prosecutors for each federal judicial district

one of the justices of the U.S. or state Supreme Court who is not the chief justice

elected across the entire region, not elected by districts

an elected executive office (state or national) held by the chief law officer who serves as legal counsel for that level of government

appointed legal counsel on staff for the city who attends public meetings, reviews documents, and represents the city in court cases

appointed legal counsel on staff for the county who attends public meetings, reviews documents, and represents the county in court cases; in some states, this is the title of the county’s prosecutor who represents the state in court cases, and those states may distinguish their appointed staff attorney with a title such as county counsel

having power concentrated in an elite individual or group apart from constitutional representation

the right to vote; a small ball or piece of paper used for voting

the sheet (ballot) tailored to each specific voting precinct

having two chambers

a written document proposed to become a law

a punishment without proper legal proceedings

the first ten amendments to the Constitution or the list of rights in each state’s constitution and even in some city constitutions and charters

a state whose voters tend to support liberal policies and candidates

county equivalent in Alaska; also see town

the nonelected government employees of administrative agencies

a member of a bureaucracy

possessing the characteristics of a bureaucracy (following rules, generating or requiring paperwork, etc.)

the advisors of the president of the United States

an American who applies (by running for election) for a specific job on the public payroll

the chief administrative city of a level of government

the building itself at the capital city

service by a legislator to those he or she represents

a convening of likeminded individuals in Congress or the state legislature to discuss strategy

the person who presides over the meetings held by a party’s parliamentary caucus

a private meeting for members inside one political party to discuss and nominate a candidate to be on the ballot (may be held simultaneously at many locations within the state)

Old Testament law that governed religious ceremonies and was fulfilled in Christ

the individual appointed to supervise and direct the administrative needs of a board, commission, or committee

the house of a legislative body, literally a room

a membership-based group of businesses joining together for mutual benefit to promote the local community’s economic/business interest

founding document that sets forth the rights of the governed

the principle under which each of the three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial) has some degree of oversight to exercise in relation to the other two branches

an individual who heads the division of government that executes or carries out the law

the principle justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

the principle justice of the highest state court

the dominion that Christ purchased with His blood, often known as the parts of the world where Christianity prevails

skill in handling civil affairs guided by the principles of God’s Word

appellate court that reviews decisions from a U.S. district court

general-jurisdiction trial court

second- tier appellate courts in the federal judicial system

a situation in which different circuit courts of appeal reach different decisions

a native-born or naturalized inhabitant of a nation who has the responsibility of allegiance to its government; a resident of a city or state who has rights there such as voting

the position or status of being a citizen; see also dual citizenship

a voluntary association of people who gather together and decide to form a municipal corporation under the laws of the state in which they reside

a constitution for a city (not all cities have charters; some have their rights embedded in state law)

a systematic grouping of laws for a city

relating to citizens from a city or town (and state or nation)

a social science dealing with the rights and duties of citizens

relating to citizenship regarding the law

a private dispute between two parties

freedoms (such as speech, religion, and due process) that are guaranteed by the Constitution and not to be intruded upon by the government

all levels of American government

guarantees of equal treatment under the Fourteenth Amendment and later statutes and laws

a type of local government in a gray area between counties and municipalities that can serve as a political subdivision of the county

a charter that classifies cities by population and sometimes by form of government (mayor-council or council-manager)

the authority to exercise leniency toward individuals who have committed crimes

an appointed or elected constitutional row officer who maintains county records from cradle to grave; may oversee courts and elections

meeting closed to the public for a specific list of reasons

an election having different ballots each tailored to voters registered with one of the two major parties; also see primary election

laws declaring which meetings the public may not access for specific legal reasons

a nation, state, or individual that allies with another against a common enemy

the Federal Register rearranged topically in a manner useful for referencing

a systematic grouping of laws for a specified level of government

to compile a group of laws topically in a manner useful for referencing

chief executive who holds supreme command of the armed forces (without the power to declare war)

a board consisting of appointed rather than elected officials who often serve in a volunteer capacity

form of local government in which the commission sits collectively as the legislative body

a board of members appointed to reset the boundaries of electoral districts after the census

a group of legislators assigned to research, report on, and debate bills pertaining to a particular topic of law

the person who is elected to serve and mobilize the party’s constituents in a precinct

American law, also called case law, that has its roots in British law and is derived from the body of prior judicial decisions instead of from legislative status

the name for trial courts in certain states

the shortening of a judicial sentence

the general plan or master plan showing the goals of a city and serving as the foundational land-use planning and zoning document required by state statute

the art of finding common ground without discarding one’s principles

a league or group of allies

a committee for both chambers of the legislature

the name of the legislature at the national level in the United States consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate

the will of the people that bestows the authority to govern

having a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change because mankind is not inherently good

a merger resulting in a unified city-county governance system with a single chief executive and a multi-district council with a few at-large seats

a town’s or township’s officer responsible for peacekeeping and minor judicial duties

one who is represented by an elected officeholder or other head of a group or organization

service by a legislator to those he or she represents

the primary written governance document of a group of people

a meeting called by Congress for the purpose of proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution

government by the people based on a written constitution

written law that embodies the rules of a political or social organization (a city, state, or nation)

elected executive members of county government whose origin of power is anchored in the state constitution; see row officers

a form of government that exists under the rules of a written constitution whereby the governing members temporarily serve as representatives of the people

an appointed or elected state executive office with varying financial duties such as managing a statewide accounting system and providing internal controls for agencies; also called the comptroller

a typically elected county-equivalent-level office for the purpose of determining an otherwise uncertain cause of death

a body (from the Latin word corpus) of people formed, authorized, and recognized by (state) law to act as a single person and be legally endowed with various rights and duties

legislative body of a local government

the legislative body of a municipal government

the legislative body of county government; a fiscal body in many of Indiana’s counties

a county-equivalent region; also see regional governments/councils

a form of local (county) government consisting of an elected council and a county administrator hired by the council

a form of local (county) government consisting of an elected council and a separately elected chief executive

a form of local (municipal) government consisting of an elected council, an appointed (sometimes elected) weak mayor, and a city manager hired by the council

a mid-sized unit of local government that administers functions delegated to it by the state

a typically appointed officer who is responsible for designing and constructing county infrastructure

a region such as a parish, borough, regional council, or independent city that is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as equivalent to a county; see county

an appointed or elected constitutional row officer (attorney) who decides what offenses should be charged against whom and presents cases in court representing the government

the city that is the administrative center of the county where services such as the county courthouse are located

an officer (typically appointed) who maintains county land survey records including property boundary lines

an institution authorized to administer justice in civil and criminal matters in accordance with the rule of law

a violation of state law such as robbery, assault, murder, drug-related crimes, rape, etc.

a bill approved by the chamber in which it was introduced that moves forward for consideration in the opposite chamber

the founding document of America’s separation and independence from Great Britain

the party or person against whom a civil or criminal lawsuit is brought before a court

government by elected representatives of the people based on a written constitution

of, by, or for the people

the Democratic Party’s national gathering held every four years for the purpose of selecting its official candidate for the November presidential ballot

the more liberal or progressive of the two major political parties in the United States

types of special districts that rely upon another existing local government to govern them (such as the local board of county commissioners)

a person given full power of an officer without holding the office (i.e., deputy sheriff, deputy prosecutor, deputy attorney general)

a ruler who exercises absolute power in a tyrannical fashion

a ruler who exercises absolute control

one skilled in conducting negotiations between potentially adversarial groups

the power or authority granted by the state to municipalities to conduct their own affairs

a geographic region with boundaries for election and representation purposes

trial court

a court whose function varies by state from general trial court to limited- jurisdiction court

Washington, D.C., a district that serves as the capital of the United States but is not one of the fifty states

being tried twice for the same offense in a court of law

special court-instituted programs for individuals with alcohol or drug dependency problems that provide an opportunity for a second chance and rehabilitation; also called treatment court

citizenship in one’s nation and in the kingdom of heaven

the American judicial system that exists in two tracks: the federal track and the state track

a principle from the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that the government must follow lawful procedures before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property

a fee or tax

also known as necessary and proper clause; see implied powers

any person elected (not appointed) to public office

the group of electors representing the states who vote for the U.S. president and vice president

the voters

the constitutional right of the government to purchase private property for public use

laws passed by state legislators that direct agencies to make administrative rules that serve their purposes

the act of endowing with a privilege, particularly the right to vote

to stop enforcement of a law

powers that Congress possesses according to Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution

the 2016 Supreme Court case which upheld that total population could be taken into consideration when redistricting

literally because of the office; one who serves in a position because of the office held in another position

literally out of a thing done afterward; a law that retroactively declares an act that was legal at the time it was committed to be illegal

the division of government that executes or carries out the law, often led by an individual, an executive head; see chief executive

a rule or order issued by the head of the executive branch of government that has the force and effect of law

a meeting that is closed to the public for specific legal reasons

powers that extend beyond a local government’s territorial limits/boundaries

law that governs across the United States

the chronological list of federal agency rules and regulations having the effect of law; also known as the Daily Journal of the United States Government

agencies that create regulations, rules, procedures, orders, and decisions at the federal level that possess legal effect

an organizational system that distributes power between a central authority and constituent (subordinate) units

the principle that the Constitution gives our national government limited powers while recognizing the powers of the states and the people; a system under which governmental powers are shared between federal government and state governments

a serious crime with a potentially long sentence that can result in the loss of the right to vote, possess firearms, or hold public office

the act of speaking endlessly to delay the vote on a bill in the Senate (to filibuster)

the process of filing a bill with the clerk, assigning it a bill number, reading it by title, and double-checking it for formatting errors

the court where a case enters the judicial system, also known as trial court

the power for a municipality or county to set tax rates, determine revenue sources, borrow funds, etc.

the men who founded or established the United States of America

the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States

the men who wrote the Constitution of the United States

a right, specifically the right to vote

a phrase from the Declaration of Independence describing America during the post-colonial and pre-constitutional period

the power to govern locally in a narrow or broad manner regarding the functions a city or county performs

another name for the House of Representatives at the state level; in several states, the name of two chambers of the state legislature meeting together, see House of Representatives, some states/national

the second of two elections for the purpose of making a final choice of office holders

reshaping districts in a highly irregular fashion to favor the majority party

the good news of faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin

exercising the core functions of the government entity within the boundaries of delegated authority

a form of government that can extend beyond city or state boundaries to provide regional projects or programs

publicly controlled or overseen local services

the chief executive of a state’s government and the one to whom the other executive officers ordinarily report

eighteen citizens chosen by lottery from the judicial district in which they live and in which a criminal case is potentially being tried

another name for the Republican Party

at or from the most basic level, usually involving ordinary people

the decade from 1929 to 1939 during which America experienced the worst economic downturn in its history

pertaining to the governor

a small community often within a town

a charter that grants power to a local government to exercise self- governance under the authority of the state constitution and state laws

another name for the House of Representatives at the state level; see House of Representatives, some states/ national

the combined methods used by the parliamentarian of the U.S. House of Representatives, including the Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives

to charge the president, vice president, or other high officeholder with misconduct while in office

powers possessed by Congress that are implied in Article I, Section 8, and are useful to implement the enumerated/ expressed powers

a city that is independent of (legally separated from) a county or replaces a county that altogether ceased to exist

special districts that have board members who are typically elected by the people but may also be appointed by another local government’s representative to serve for fixed terms

the basic physical systems that undergird a community such as water and sewer works, stormwater drainage, bridges, roads, etc.

the citizen-led procedure of initiating (introducing) a piece of proposed legislation directly on the ballot

the American colonists’ list of grievances against wrongful acts and seizures of power by the British government

the first permanent American colony founded in the New World

an appointed officeholder who presides over a federal court of law

an elected or appointed officeholder who presides over a state court of law

the division of government that judges or interprets the law

a geographic area of the nation over which the federal court system has jurisdiction

a geographic area of a state over which the state court system has jurisdiction

the authority to assess the constitutionality of actions by the executive and legislative branches

a jurisdiction’s system of courts, synonymous with the judicial branch

the legal authority to hear a certain type of case or the geographic boundary surrounding a law

service as a juror in a legal proceeding

a local public servant who, in some states, can act as a municipal court judge, officiate at marriage ceremonies, and witness signatures or oaths

an appointed judge who serves on the highest federal court of appeals

an elected or appointed judge who serves on the highest state court of appeals

a court that has special jurisdiction over those under eighteen years of age

rules passed by a legislative body for the purpose of governance

law(s) passed by a governing body (typically a legislature)

the division of government that creates or enacts the law

population-based geographical districts created for the purpose of electing official representatives of the people to both chambers of a state’s legislature—either single-member (one representative per district) or multi-member (two or more representatives per district)

an individual who is elected to serve in the legislature

the governing body that convenes and passes laws

a document granting permission to cross over the frontier into another country’s territory in order to take a vessel on the seas

a document granting permission to take a captured vessel to the home port of the capturer

to impose a financial assessment upon those who are governed within a jurisdiction or the act of imposing such assessment

having the belief in the essential goodness of the human race and the autonomy of the individual’s political and civil liberties while requiring the government’s superintending care from cradle to grave

one who values liberty from government oversight

the vice chief executive officer of the state who serves while the governor is temporarily absent

government with inherent preventative measures to prevent abuses of power and overreach into citizens’ lives

a chief executive’s power to strike a particular line or section from a bill before signing it into law

the act of persuading those in authority of a certain position

one who seeks to persuade those in authority of a certain position

the levels of American government existing below the level of the state

a trial-level state court

the Great Charter of 1215 by which King John of England granted certain rights to the English people

voting conducted exclusively by mail-in ballots that are sent to every registered voter

a vote passing by more than half the total of the group, meaning more than 50 percent

the 1803 Supreme Court case that set the precedent for the judicial branch to have the final say on whether or not the other two branches’ actions are constitutional

the first self-governing document written in the New World

the executive (or ceremonial) head of a city

a form of municipal government with a strong full-time executive mayor elected at large and council members elected either at large or by district who make up the legislative body

the senator chosen to represent the party not in control of the chamber floor

a record of business completed at the prior public meeting

a less serious offence than a felony, punishable by less than one year of incarceration

a statement of an individual’s or organization’s current purpose and current key objectives needed to accomplish a vision statement

one who reigns over a kingdom or empire

Old Testament law that continues to be applicable in post-New Testament times

a district that elects two or more members to its legislative body

of or pertaining to a city

a body (from the Latin word corpus) of people representing a city that is formed, authorized, and recognized by (state) law to act as a single person and legally endowed with various rights and duties such as the ability to enter into contracts, to sue and be sued, and to own property

a type of court that is created and operated by a city or town and is not always subject to the state judicial system

a city

a group of people residing within specified borders governed by overarching law

law that governs a nation (consisting of a national constitution, statutes, and agency rules)

1993 act passed by Congress requiring states to offer voter registration at state motor vehicle agencies; also known as Motor Voter Act

the process of becoming a citizen

also known as elastic clause; see implied powers

executive agencies and programs instituted by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during the Great Depression

not affiliated with a political party

2010 act passed by Congress, also known as Obamacare and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)

a public meeting to conduct government business

a primary election ballot open to all voters regardless of party affiliation

laws declaring that the public must have access to public/open meetings

one of a selection of charter options written by the state and chosen by the citizens of a local government as its founding document

a local law

true belief (what to believe)

true practice (what to do)

the chief executive officer of the United States

the excusing of an offense without exacting a penalty

the county equivalent in Louisiana; see also county and county equivalent

a legislative body that governs

a series of formal rules that define the structure and order of business for a public meeting

affiliated with or biased toward a political party

a political organization that represents a group of people with shared political principles and that seeks to implement those principles by running candidates for office

the document that catalogs and memorializes the principles and values of a party

the power to govern the number of municipal employees and their pay, rules, and employment conditions

also known as the jury; consists of twelve jurors chosen by lottery from the judicial district in which they live and in which a civil or criminal case will be tried

the English colonists who first landed at Provincetown, Massachusetts, and settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1620

the party or person who brings a lawsuit before a court

each topic or stated position within the party platform

1992 Supreme Court case generally upholding Roe v. Wade

an appointed board or commission that reviews and recommends changes to the comprehensive plan and the land-use ordinance

the county equivalent in Connecticut; also called Regional Councils of Governments (COG); see also county and county equivalent

the 1896 Supreme Court case that declared that facilities could be racially separate as long as they were equal

a chief executive’s maneuver that allows a bill to die if not signed within ten days of receipt (excluding Sundays) when the legislature is adjourned and cannot respond

the authority of a government to regulate control over people or property within its jurisdiction to accomplish a public goal usually regarding the protection of the public’s health, safety, and welfare

a strategy or method employed by a governing body

the policy-making body of a Communist party

the act of counting heads for voting or tallying purposes

the place where voting takes place

the principle that government in a republic is created by and subject to the will of the people

the vote counted by percentage of the population as opposed to the electoral vote employed for choosing the U.S. president and vice president

the introductory text of a governing document that states the intention of what will follow

the smallest geographic subset or political division relating to elections; a voting district

the individual who presides over a meeting, assembly, or body

the assistant to the president of a state senate or the U.S. Senate who may step in to substitute and who is the true majority party leader

the first of two elections; its purpose is to narrow the field of candidates from a political party to one candidate for each office

the principle that civil matters should be dealt with by the lowest level of government responsible for them

the change from public to private oversight

a special jurisdiction court that oversees the execution of wills, estates, and such

the book of parliamentary procedure for public meetings at the state level

having the belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual’s political and civil liberties while requiring the government’s superintending care from cradle to grave; see liberal

powers forbidden to Congress by the U.S. Constitution

to make laws known publicly and to put them into force

a typically appointed attorney who defends clients otherwise unable to afford their own legal assistance

any meeting open to the public where elected or appointed individuals within the civil realm make decisions about policy, spending, or priorities

typically an elected position of government leadership involving responsibility to the public and characterized by both authority and service

a person who is employed by the government or serves in a volunteer capacity

the literal space where people gather locally to govern or the theoretical space where public opinion is discussed and upheld

the ways that a city tends to its infrastructure

a form of government by which the people govern themselves directly through the will of the majority

an unincorporated public entity enabled by state law to act independently of the state with legal status to perform limited rather than full corporate functions

having the authority to interpret law and declare judgments but not as part of the judicial branch of government

the minimum number of members of an assembly that must be present to make a meeting valid

to formally confirm or adopt (as in the original states ratifying the Constitution)

a sphere or domain

the procedure of removing an elected representative from office by a vote of the people

a state whose voters tend to support conservative policies and candidates

the decennial redrawing of the geographic boundary lines of legislative districts based on U.S. Census results to equalize population; also known as reapportionment

a chief executive’s power to delete a budget item from a bill before signing it into law

the citizen-led process of placing an existing law on the ballot for voters to decide whether it should continue to exist; sometimes called a veto referendum

county-equivalent planning regions for the state of Connecticut

a form of government in which the people elect representatives to govern them

a form of government in which eligible voters elect residents to represent them to vote as a board; see representative democracy

a cancellation or postponement of punishment

a nation with a form of government in which power resides in the voting citizens who elect representatives to govern for them according to written law

a form of government in which power resides in the voting citizens who elect representatives to govern for them according to written law

the Republican Party’s national gathering held every four years for the purpose of selecting its official candidate for the November presidential ballot

one of the two major political parties in the United States; also known as the Grand Old Party (G.O.P.)

the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people

a formal expression of intent that is drafted by a governing body but does not have the force of law

the 1984 case that had required courts to defer to an administrative agency’s interpretation of its own regulation(s)

the overthrowing of one government in favor of another

the book of parliamentary procedure for public meetings at the local level

the 1973 Supreme Court decision declaring that the Constitution protects a woman’s right to abortion

the official list of voters’ names

the elected executive members of county government whose origin of power is anchored in the state constitution; usually listed in a row on the ballot; also known as constitutional officers

a system of governance based on laws that apply not only to the governed but also to those who govern

the highest court in the federal judicial track, also known as the U.S. Supreme Court

a particular kind of special district that receives state funding to oversee local public education

the presentation of a bill on the chamber floor to be considered, amended, passed, or to die

a court where a case is reviewed after having been tried in a first-tier court; also known as appellate court

a subdivision of law below an article

the chief executive body under the town meeting form of local government

the mandatory military draft registration for men instituted in 1917 by the Selective Service Act

the exercise of self-control; a government originating from the will of the people

a primary election format characterized by two primary ballots, each tailored to voters registered with one of the two major political parties but in which unaffiliated voters are free to vote on either ballot

the combined methods used by the parliamentarian for conducting the business of the U.S. Senate

the upper, typically smaller, and more prestigious chamber of a legislative body

the constitutional principle under which the American government is separated into three powers: the legislative branch (defined in Article I), the executive branch (defined in Article II), and the judicial branch (defined in Article III)

a type of regional government contract by which a larger community provides resources to a smaller community

a typically elected (but sometimes appointed) constitutional row officer who provides law enforcement to areas of the county that are outside of incorporated towns

a district that elects one member to its legislative body

special districts that can cross state lines

an appointed deputy attorney general whose task is to represent the state in federal cases (suits involving the federal government)

the most powerful member of the House, who is chosen by majority party members to lead and oversee the business of the House

the most powerful member of the House or Assembly, who is chosen by majority party members to lead and oversee the business of the House or Assembly

a tax levied on citizens to cover a special project, usually infrastructure

a type of municipal charter that is obtained through an act of the state legislature and therefore provides the least local control; it is the oldest form of charter

a committee of members of a legislative body appointed for special investigative purposes

local governments that exist under the laws of the state within defined geographical boundaries in order to provide some public service that the city or county equivalent does not provide

the practice of finding all of the various people or groups involved in a proposed project and talking with each of them

a permanent committee whose members are appointed from only one chamber of the legislature

Latin for to stand by things decided, the policy of not overturning prior court decisions

synonym for civil government; also refers to one of the constitutional (subordinate) governing entities that make up the fifty United States

another name for the House of Representatives at the state level; see House of Representatives, some states/national

the law that governs a state, consisting of state constitutions, statutes, and agency rules

an annual speech delivered by the mayor to the city regarding the current condition of the city; usually given early in the calendar year

an annual speech delivered by the governor to the state legislature regarding the current condition of the state; usually given early in the calendar year

an annual speech delivered by the president of the United States to Congress regarding the current condition of the nation; usually given early in the calendar year

the primary graphic emblem that represents the state

the supreme law of the land of the United States, also known as the U.S. Constitution

the Statutes at Large rearranged topically in a manner useful for referencing

the lower, larger, and more populist chamber of a legislative body

a law passed by a state or federal legislative body

the chronological list of laws enacted by Congress

a state law established by an act of the legislature or federal law established by Congress

the shorter-term implementation of a long-term comprehensive plan

the power of a local government to choose its own organizational system of government

a subdivision of a congressional/legislative committee

a written document requiring a person’s attendance at a trial for the purpose of providing evidence

the right to vote

a written document requiring a person’s attendance at a trial

laws declaring that the public must have access to public/open meetings; also called open-meeting laws

an elected or appointed statelevel officeholder who supervises all o p t s w o s t o e t s m b a m o g ( t a 5 2 s h t 2 s s is o ( of the individual city and county public school systems in the state as the chief state school officer, overseeing public higher education and working in concert with a state board of education; also known as the superintendent of schools, superintendent of education, superintendent of public instruction, secretary of education, or chief school administrator

a trial-level court in many states

substantially more than 50 percent of a vote by a group; this number changes according to each state’s laws and may be two-thirds (66.66 percent) or three-fifths (60 percent) of the group’s vote

a staff member who serves as the chief administrative officer of the city

the highest court in the state judicial track (except in the state of New York)

a six-mile by six-mile square plot of land that is referred to by a number based on the Public Land Survey System (PLSS)

an appointed or elected constitutional row officer who assesses the value of properties in the county to determine the property tax for each

a special jurisdiction court that hears tax-related issues

the presentation of a bill on the chamber floor to be further amended, passed, and sent to the second chamber, or to die

a final court of appeals; see also supreme court, state

the heading of a topic of law

the 1953 Supreme Court case declaring that the separation of children by race in public schools is unconstitutional

used interchangeably with the term city in this book; in specific state codes, a town, borough, hamlet, or village may represent a certain population

a New England form of government referring to the meeting itself of the voters of a town for the transaction of town business or the legislative body; an example of pure democracy

an appointed or elected constitutional row officer vested with the authority to collect all money due to the county treasury

an appointed or elected executive who serves as the state’s chief financial officer collecting and investing state money, overseeing sta te agency spending, and paying state bills

a first-tier court where a case enters the judicial system

an oppressive governing power

chief federal-level prosecutors for each federal judicial district

mankind’s rights betowed by God, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; spelled inalienable in contemporary English

having one-chamber (a legislative structure found only in Nebraska)

not having the powers granted to a corporation

God’s law as understood before the written Scriptures or as recorded in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible

a chief executive’s power either to decline or to request amendment to measures passed by the legislative body; see amendatory veto, line-item veto, pocket veto, and reduction veto

the vice chief executive of the United States

a statement of intention regarding an organization’s ambitions for the future

to cast a decision; see also majority vote and supermajority vote

a written document authorizing a search or an arrest

the first three words of the Constitution, referring to government by the people; self-government

speaking the truth with humility and grace in a generally pleasing and engaging manner

an inquiry into whether or not a person is lawfully detained in custody

an appointed board that conducts public hearings, often requesting variances under the land use ordinance