Terms starting with "D"

Due Process A constitutional guarantee (5th and 14th Amendments) that the government cannot deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without fair, established legal procedures. It includes both procedural fairness (notice and a hearing) and substantive limits on government power. Due Process And Equal Protection Due process and equal protection are constitutional limits on government power. Due process focuses on lawful authority and fair procedure; equal protection focuses on unjustified unequal treatment by government. Due Process of Law Due process of law is the constitutional requirement that government follow legally fair procedures and respect certain substantive protections before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property. The Fifth Amendment applies to the federal government, and the Fourteenth Amendment applies the Due Process Clause to the states. District Judge A district judge is a federal trial-court judge who serves on one of the 94 U.S. district courts. District judges are Article III judges: nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and holding office "during good Behavior" — effectively for life — with salaries that cannot be reduced. They are the only federal judges before whom jury trials are normally held; they preside over both criminal and civil cases, make findings of fact and law, and issue the judgments and sentences from which appeals run to the courts of appeals. Division Division is an executive-branch and agency term used to describe presidential action, agency authority, public programs, rules, benefits, enforcement, or administrative records. Division Vote A division vote is a voting method in which members indicate their position in a way that allows the presiding officer to determine the result, without necessarily recording each member's name. The exact procedure differs by chamber and may be used when a voice vote does not settle the question. Docket The official schedule or calendar of cases pending before a court. It lists the cases to be heard, their current status, and upcoming deadlines or hearing dates. Domestic Policy Domestic policy refers to government decisions and programs focused on issues within a country's borders, such as health care, education, taxation, infrastructure, housing, and public safety. It contrasts with foreign policy, which concerns relations with other countries and international organizations. Double Jeopardy Double jeopardy is the Fifth Amendment protection against being prosecuted or punished more than once for the same offense by the same sovereign, subject to the doctrine's legal rules and exceptions. It helps prevent repeated prosecutions after acquittal or conviction. District District is a federal court term connected to federal court administration; it helps explain who is involved, what step is happening, and what legal effect the step may have. District Court The general trial courts of the United States federal court system. There are 94 federal judicial districts, and these courts have original jurisdiction over almost all categories of federal cases, both civil and criminal. Disenfranchisement The revocation or suppression of the right to vote, often targeting specific demographic groups through legal or administrative barriers. It can be explicit (e.g., literacy tests) or subtle (e.g., strict voter ID laws or polling place closures).