Terms starting with "D"

Deliberation Deliberation is the process of carefully considering evidence, arguments, and options before reaching a decision. In a jury trial, deliberation is the jury's private discussion of the evidence and the court's instructions before returning a verdict. Legislatures and other public bodies may also deliberate under their own rules. Democracy Democracy is a form of government in which people govern directly or delegate government to representatives they elect. In direct government, citizens assemble to administer government; in representative government, citizens elect officials to do so. Demographics Statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it, such as age, race, gender, income, and education level, which are heavily analyzed in political campaigning and redistricting. Denial of Certiorari A denial of certiorari occurs when the U.S. Supreme Court declines to review a lower court's decision. The denial leaves the lower court's judgment in place for the parties, but it usually does not express the Supreme Court's view on the merits of the legal question. Department A department is a major organizational unit of government responsible for a broad area of policy or administration. At the federal level, executive departments are headed by secretaries, with the Department of Justice headed by the Attorney General. Departments oversee agencies and programs assigned to them by law. Department Head A department head is the senior official responsible for leading a government department. In federal executive departments, the head is usually a secretary, while the Department of Justice is headed by the Attorney General. The department head directs operations within the authority established by law and the President's lawful supervision. Defense Counsel Defense counsel is the lawyer or legal team representing a person accused in a criminal case. Defense counsel advises the accused, challenges the prosecution's evidence, raises legal arguments, and protects the client's rights under the law. A defendant who cannot afford a lawyer may be entitled to appointed counsel in qualifying cases. Debate Debate is the formal discussion of a question or measure before a legislative body or another decision-making forum. Congressional rules govern who may speak, how long debate may last, and whether amendments or procedural motions are allowed. Debt Debt is money owed to lenders or other creditors. The federal government's debt reflects accumulated borrowing to finance spending that exceeds revenue and other financing needs over time. Debt is a stock measured at a point in time, while a deficit or surplus is measured over a period. Debt Ceiling The federal debt limit, also called the debt ceiling, is the statutory cap on how much the Treasury may borrow. Treasury borrowing finances federal operations and existing legal obligations; debt subject to the limit includes debt held by the public and debt issued to federal government accounts. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the founding document, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in which the thirteen American colonies declared their independence from Britain. Drawing on natural-rights philosophy, it asserts that governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed" and lists grievances against King George III to justify the break. The signed (engrossed) copy, now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., is the document Americans recognize today. Declaratory Judgment A declaratory judgment is a court’s determination of parties’ legal rights in an actual controversy, rather than an opinion about hypothetical facts. Under the federal Declaratory Judgment Act, the declaration has the force and effect of a final judgment, but is not itself a coercive order.