1.
Apportioned: Divide among districts
2.
City Charter: a document granting power to a local government
3.
Concurrent Powers: Powers shared by the state and federal government
4.
County: Normally the largest territorial and political subdivision of a state
5.
Defenders: An individual or group being sued or charged with a crime
6.
Federal System: The sharing of power between the central and state governments
7.
Felonies: a serious crime suchas murder, rape, kidnapping, or robbery
8.
Grants-in aid: Money awarded to the states by the federal governement
9.
Home Rule: allows cities tow write their own charters, choose their own type of government, and manage their own affairs
10.
Justice of the Peace: The judge of a small, local court
11.
Metropolitan Area: A large city and its suburbs
12.
Misdemeanors: A relatively minor offense such as vandalism or stealing inexpensive items
13.
Ordinances: A law, usually of a city or county
14.
Plaintiff: A person or party filing a lawsuit
15.
Reserved Powers: Powers that the Constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states
16.
Special districts: a unit of government that deals with a specific function, suhc as education, water supply, or transportation
17.
Town: Political unit that is larger than a village and smaller than a city
18.
Town meeting: A gathering of local citizens to discuss and vote on important issues
19.
Townships: A subdivision of a county that has its own government