Unit 6: Government

Page Numbers – Textbook (p. 502-551)

I.Foundations of Government

  1. Separation of PowersModel for governance where each branch of government have different and independent duties, powers, and responsibilities.
  1. ResponsibilitiesPaying taxes, serving on a jury when called, protecting your country are examples of ______of citizens
  1. ConstitutionA set of laws for a nation or state; document that creates the government for a nation or state and describes voting rights, limits of power, and rights of citizens; Georgia and the United States each have one of these.
  1. Checks and BalancesSystem created so that each branch of government can limit the powers of the other branches; ensures that one branch of government does not become more powerful than the others.
  1. 18 Years OldThree requirements to register to vote in the state of Georgia

Citizen of the United States

Resident of the county where you are voting

II. Branches of Government

Directions: Complete the following table by listing the members, terms, qualifications, duties, and whether the members are elected or appointed (and who elects or appoints the members) for each of the three branches of Georgia’s government.

Legislative / Executive / Judicial
Members / General Assembly; House of Rep and Senate / Governor and Lieutenant Governor / Supreme Court and LowerState Courts
Terms / 2 Year Terms / 4 Year Terms / Supreme and Appeals (6 Year Terms); others 4 Years Terms
Qualifications / Legal residents of GA and their districts; Senate (25); Rep. (21) / US Citizens for 15 Years and GA for 6; min. of 30 Years Old. / Practice law for 7 Years and live in the district they serve
Duties / Create laws for GA; pass the state budget. / Enforce laws for GA; create the state budget. / Interpret laws for GA; hold trials in Criminal and Civil cases.
Elected or Appointed / Elected by GA citizens. / Elected by GA citizens / Elected by GA citizens; vacancies appointed by the Governor.
  1. Drafting5 Steps for a bill to become a law in Georgia.
  2. Introduction
  3. Committee Consideration
  4. Floor Consideration
  5. Governor Consideration
  1. ______8 Formal Powers of the Governor
  1. ______
  1. Head of state & leader of executive branch
  1. Commander-in-chief of GA’s military
  1. Can veto legislation put forward by the state legislature
  1. Signs bills into law
  1. Addresses the GA legislature in a State of the State speech
  1. Direct the state budget
  1. State School SuperintendentWhat elected state official controls the administration of state and federal

education funds?

  1. Secretary of StateWhat elected official is the Chief Legal Officer and heads the department of

law?

  1. Department of Public SafetyWhat department is in charge of State Patrol & Georgia Bureau of Investigation?
  1. ______Why is the power to make appointments to boards and executive

offices important to the governor of Georgia?

  1. ______How does a lieutenant governor most effectively affect the passage or failure

of legislation in the state senate?

  1. Arraignment 6 Steps of the Criminal Justice Process
  1. Bail
  1. Commitment Hearing
  1. Preparing for Trial
  1. Plea Bargaining
  1. The Trial
  1. Court of AppealsSecond highest court in the state and who work in panels of three to hear cases.
  1. Probate What court handles administrative matters such as wills and administration of

estates; may have a jury

  1. Magistrate What court handles small civil claims of $15,000 or less, bad checks, arrest

warrants, etc. no jury

  1. Supreme What court is the highest court and hears all cases dealing with the death penalty
  1. Appellate Courts What courts deals with mistakes made during a trial?
  1. Superior What court deals with almost any civil or criminal case; have a judge and jury?
  1. State What court has jurisdiction over misdemeanor violations and civil cases; have a

judge and jury

III. Local Governments in Georgia

  1. Special Purpose GovernmentGroups created to perform a specific task; includes housing authorities, recreation and park authorities, and downtown development authorities.
  1. MunicipalitiesTerm that refers to cities and towns; there are approximately 535 of these in Georgia, each with their own governments.
  1. CountyGovernmentLevel of government responsible for the building and maintenance of roads, controls licenses for cars and trucks, runsGeorgia’s welfare programs, and has their own court systems; there are 159 of these in Georgia.
  1. Weak Mayor-CouncilType of city government that has a city council responsible for making laws and a mayor that holds no special executive powers (no power to veto, choose committee members, or overriding say in the budget).
  1. Strong Mayor-CouncilType of city government that has a city council responsible for making laws and a mayor that is very powerful (has the power to veto bills, choose committee members, and has overriding say in the budget).
  1. Council-ManagerType of city government that has a city council responsible for making laws and the executive branch is led by a city manager that holds all special executive powers while the mayor is a member of the legislative branch.

IV. Juvenile Justice

  1. Unruly BehaviorBehavior that is considered a status offense when committed by children (would not be a crime if committed by an adult); examples include a child refusing to go to school and running away from home.
  1. Delinquent BehaviorWhen a child commits a crime it is considered to be this type of behavior; a child between 13 and 17 will be punished according to the law, which may include up to serving 5 years in a juvenile detention facility.
  1. JuvenileTerm for a person between the ages of 13 and 17 in Georgia.
  1. Taken into Custody (arrested)8 Steps in the Juvenile Justice process in Georgia.
  1. Intake Officer
  1. Released or Detained
  1. Informal Adjustment
  1. Adjudicatory Hearing
  1. Dispositional Hearing
  1. Sentencing
  1. Appeal
  1. Aggravated Child Molestation7 Delinquent Behaviors that children between the ages of 13 and 17 who are

thought to have committed any of these crimes will be tried as adults

  1. Aggravated Sexual Battery
  1. Aggravated Sodomy
  1. Murder
  1. Rape
  1. Voluntary Manslaughter
  1. Armed Robbery with a Firearm