Word/Term

Part of Speech

Definition

14^th Amendment

proper noun

an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that defines citizenship, grants citizenship to former slaves, and defines voters as males at least 21 years of age

alien

noun

any person not a citizen or national of a country

citizen

noun

a legal member of a state and/or country

immigrant

noun

a person who comes to a country to live permanently

law of blood

noun

the principle that a person's nationality at birth is the same as that of his or her biological mother

law of soil

noun

the principle that a person's nationality at birth is determined by the territory within which he or she was born

legal permanent resident

noun

someone who is legally and permanently living in the U.S., but not a citizen

naturalization

noun

the process by which an immigrant becomes a citizen

resident

noun

someone who lives in a place for a minimum period of time

Word/Term

Part of Speech

Definition

citizen

noun

a legal member of a state and/or country

common good

noun

beliefs or actions that are seen as a benefit to the larger community rather than individual interests, also known as the public good

obligation

noun

something a person is required to do

responsibility

noun

something a person should do

selective service

noun

a system by which men ages 18 through 25 register with the U.S. government for military service

Obey laws

Legislatures and chief executives are elected by citizens in a democracy; these legislatures and chief executives are elected to represent citizen interests.Courts interpret whether these laws cohere to the U.S. Constitution.Citizens and non-citizens alike are obligated to obey laws whether they agree with them or not.Citizens and non-citizens who choose not to obey the laws may be prosecuted for their crimes; non-citizens who choose not to obey the laws may also be deported.

Pay taxes

Taxes support government functions.Legislatures and chief executives enact tax laws the same as they do other laws.The 16^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows Congress to impose an income tax.The U.S. Supreme Court may not find income taxes unconstitutional because income taxes are protected by the 16^th Amendment.

Defend the nation

Swear allegiance to support and defend the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the United States against all enemies.

Selective service

Selective service is a system by which men (both citizens and resident aliens) ages 18 through 25 register with the U.S. government for military service.Selective service is not a draft; however, it is from the names included among those registered for selective service that a person drafted will be selected.

Serve on juries

The sixth amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides for a trial by jury in most cases as follows:

“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed…”

Citizens who have reached the age of majority may be called upon to serve on juries.

Voting

Citizens have a responsibility for selecting public officials who will represent their interests in government.

Attending civic meetings

Civic meetings are ways for citizens to be active participants in their government.Interest groups, political parties, candidates for public office, religious organizations, the media and public officials hold civic meetings in order to inform and learn from the public.

Petitioning government

The right of individuals to come together with others and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests.This includes the right to assemble in public places, and the right to join an association.Peaceable assembly is also understood as freedom of association.The U.S Supreme Court has upheld laws requiring general permits, as well as prosecutions for illegal demonstrations under certain circumstances.

The right of individuals to express themselves must be balanced against the need to maintain public order.

People are protected when they bring to the government’s attention their unresolved concerns, provide information to political leaders about unpopular policies and issues, and expose government misconduct.The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that regulation of assembly may not be used to stifle dissent; unpopular groups may not be prevented from gathering based on the nature of the group’s message.

Running for office

Running for or being appointed to serve in public office as well as serving in public office

Word/Term

Part of Speech

Definition

citizen

noun

a legal member of a state and/or country

law

noun

a rule established by government or other source of authority to regulate people’s conduct or activities

rule of law

noun

a concept that those who govern are bound by the laws; no one is above the law

Accountability to the law

Accountability refers to the processes, norms, and structures that hold the population and public officials legally responsible for their actions and that impose sanctions if they violate the law. Accountability is essential if systemic threats to the rule of law are to be corrected. This involves ensuring there are consequences for criminal behavior; …and horizontal accountability (state institutions overseeing the actions of one another) and vertical accountability (citizens overseeing the actions of the state)...The concentration of power in any one branch, institution, or level of government often leads to abuse of power and corruption that horizontal and vertical accountability mechanisms can help prevent.

Adapted from “What is accountability to the law?” available at U.S. Institute of Peace (www.usiop.org)

Checks and balances

Fair procedures

Procedural fairness includes that decisions will be made on the basis of a set of established rules that are known.For example, if there were no laws about wearing hats in public, it would be unfair for a person who wore hats in public to be punished by the legal system.

Adapted from HSC Legal Studies available at the State Library of New South Wales (www.nsw.gov.org)

Procedural fairness

Decisions based on the law

A person who is affected by a decision made by the legal system has a right to present their views and facts that support that view (evidence) to the decision maker before the decision is made. It also means that a person who is accused of doing something wrong has a right to be told what it is they are said to have done wrong and to be shown the evidence against them so that they can defend themselves against the accusation.

Adapted from HSC Legal Studies available at the State Library of New South Wales (www.nsw.gov.org)

Legitimacy

Consistent application

Equality before the law is the notion that each person should be treated in the same way by the legal system no matter who they are. For example, the legal system must not make a different decision because a person is richer or poorer than another person, or because a person comes from another country. It means that everyone should be able to access the law and the legal system equally. It also means that the law applies equally to everyone. No person is above the law, no matter what position they hold in society.

Adapted from HSC Legal Studies available at the State Library of New South Wales (www.nsw.gov.org)

Equal application of the law

Enforcement of the law

Human security is one of the defining aspects of any rule of law society. Protecting human security, mainly assuring the security of persons and property, is a fundamental function of the state. Not only does violence impose wounds on society, it also prevents the achievement of other aims, such as exercising fundamental human rights, and ensuring access to opportunities and justice. In extreme situations, violence might become the norm if legal rules are not enforced. Under the rule of law, the state must effectively prevent crime and violence of every sort, including political violence and vigilante justice. It encompasses three dimensions: absence of crime; absence of civil conflict, including terrorism and armed conflict; and absence of violence as a socially acceptable means to redress personal grievances.

Adapted from “Order and Security” available at the World Justice Project (www.worldjusticeproject.org).

Order and security

Transparency of institutions

Transparency is what happens in the legal system can be seen and understood by the general public, that courts and tribunals are open to the public, rather than their decisions being made behind closed doors.

Adapted from HSC Legal Studies available at the State Library of New South Wales (www.nsw.gov.org)

Access to justice is more than improving an individual’s access to courts or guaranteeing legal representation.Access to justice is defined as the ability of people to seek and obtain a remedy through formal or informal institutions of justice for grievances in compliance with human rights standards.There is no access to justice where citizens (especially marginalized groups) fear the system, see it as alien, and do not access it; where the justice system is financially inaccessible; where individuals have no lawyers; where they do not have information or knowledge of rights; or where there is a weak justice system.

Adapted from “What is access to justice?” available at U.S. Institute of Peace (www.usiop.org)

Access to justice