Name: 
 

Criminal Terms



Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 

A violation of criminal law is viewed as harming:
a.
an individual
b.
the community
c.
both of the above
 

 2. 

In criminal matters, who pursues the action against the defendant?
a.
the individual harmed
b.
the government
c.
the court
 

 3. 

In criminal cases, a defendant is:
a.
charged
b.
sued
c.
eliminated
 

 4. 

In criminal cases, a defendant:
a.
pleads
b.
answers
c.
must testify
 

 5. 

In a criminal case, a defendant may:
a.
plead guilty or not guilty
b.
plead liable or not liable
c.
claim lack of liability
 

 6. 

The entity that prosecutes in criminal matters is usually the:
a.
public defender
b.
district attorney, sometimes called the state’s attorney
c.
the court
 

 7. 

A crime punishable by a year or more in prison is:
a.
a misdemeanor
b.
a felony
c.
a travesty
 

 8. 

When a defendant does not admit to or contest charges, but can be sentenced as though he had plead guilty, it is referred to as:
a.
a nolo contendere plea
b.
a no contest plea
c.
either a or b
 

 9. 

This is a formal charge by a grand jury.
a.
an arraignment
b.
an indictment
c.
a verdict
 

 10. 

The burden of proof in a criminal trial is:
a.
by beyond a reasonable doubt
b.
by a preponderance of the evidence
c.
by a majority of the jurors
 



 

Check Your Work     Start Over