CJS DOT

Introduction to the Philippine Criminal Justice System

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1. Accomplice – A person who helps commit a crime.

2. Accused – A person charged with a crime.

3. Adjudication – The legal process of resolving a case.

4. Affidavit – A sworn written statement used as evidence.

5. Amnesty – A government pardon for offenses, often political.

6. Appeal – A request to review a court decision.

7. Arraignment – The formal reading of charges to the accused.

8. Arrest – The act of taking a person into custody.

9. Arrest Warrant – A court order authorizing an arrest.

10. Autopsy – A medical examination of a body to determine the

cause of death.

11. Bail – Temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial.

12. Bail Bond – A financial guarantee for court appearance.

13. Barangay Justice System – A community-based system for
dispute resolution.

14. Bench Warrant – A warrant issued by a judge for an arrest.

15. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt – The highest standard of proof in

criminal cases.

16. Capital Punishment – The death penalty for serious crimes.

17. Chain of Custody – The documented handling of evidence.

18. Charge – A formal accusation of a crime.

19. Circumstantial Evidence – Indirect evidence suggesting guilt.

20. Citizen’s Arrest – Arrest by a private individual rather than law

enforcement.

21. Civil Law – Law dealing with private rights and disputes.

22. Clear and Present Danger – A legal standard for restricting

rights to prevent harm.

23. Community Policing – A strategy promoting police-community

partnerships.

24. Commutation – Reduction of a sentence by a higher authority.

25. Confession – A voluntary admission of guilt.

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26. Dangerous Drugs Act – The Philippine law on illegal drug

offenses.

27. Defendant – The person accused in a criminal case.

28. Detention – Holding someone in custody.

29. Direct Evidence – Evidence that directly proves a fact.

30. Due Process – The legal requirement for fair treatment.

31. Elements of a Crime – The essential components needed to

establish a crime.

32. Entrapment – Law enforcement inducing someone to commit

a crime.

33. Exculpatory Evidence – Evidence that may prove innocence.

34. Extrajudicial Killing – Killing without legal justification, often by

authorities.

35. Eyewitness – A person who saw the crime happen.

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36. Felony – A serious crime punishable by imprisonment or
death.

37. Forensic Evidence – Scientific analysis used in criminal cases.

38. Frisking – A quick pat-down search for weapons.

39. Fugitive – A person fleeing from legal custody.

40. Fundamental Rights – Basic freedoms protected by law.

41. Gag Order – A court order preventing public disclosure of trial

details.

42. Grand Jury – A jury determining whether charges should be

filed.

43. Grant of Immunity – Protection from prosecution in exchange

for testimony.

44. Graft – Corrupt practices, especially by public officials.

45. Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) – Sentence reduction

for good behavior in prison.

46. Habeas Corpus – A legal order requiring a detained person to

be brought before a judge.
47. Hearsay Rule – The principle that secondhand statements are
usually inadmissible.

48. Highway Robbery – Armed robbery committed along roads or

highways.

49. Homicide – The killing of one person by another.

50. Human Rights – Fundamental freedoms that all people are

entitled to.

51. Illegal Detention – Holding someone against their will without

legal authority.

52. Illegally Obtained Evidence – Evidence gathered in violation of

the law.

53. Innocence Until Proven Guilty – The legal presumption in

criminal trials.

54. Interrogation – Questioning of a suspect or witness.

55. Investigation – The process of gathering evidence to solve a

crime.

56. Jeopardy – The risk of conviction or punishment.

57. Judgment – A court’s official decision in a case.

58. Jurisdiction – A court’s legal authority to hear a case.

59. Jury – A group of people deciding a verdict in a trial.

60. Juvenile Justice – The legal system for handling crimes

committed by minors.

61. Kidnapping – Unlawfully detaining a person, usually for

ransom.

62. Knowledge Requirement – Evidence proving someone’s

awareness of a fact.

63. Knock-and-Announce Rule – The requirement that police

announce their presence before entering.

64. Kangaroo Court – An unofficial or unfair trial.

65. Key Witness – A crucial witness in a case.

66. Law Enforcement – Agencies responsible for enforcing laws.

67. Legal Aid – Free legal assistance for indigent defendants.

68. Lineup – A procedure where a witness identifies a suspect.

69. Lethal Injection – A method of execution.

70. Liability – Legal responsibility for an act.

71. Miranda Rights – Rights read to an arrested person before

interrogation.

72. Mistrial – A trial declared invalid due to legal errors.

73. Motion to Dismiss – A request to drop charges.

74. Mandatory Sentence – A required punishment set by law.

75. Murder – The intentional and unlawful killing of another

person.

76. Nolo Contendere – A plea meaning "no contest" to charges.

77. Notice of Appeal – A formal request to review a lower court’s

decision.

78. Non-Bailable Offense – A crime for which bail is not allowed.

79. Not Guilty – A verdict stating the defendant is innocent.

80. Negligence – Failure to take proper care in actions.

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81. Obstruction of Justice – Interfering with legal processes.

82. Opening Statement – Initial remarks by lawyers in a trial.

83. Oral Argument – Verbal presentation of legal points in court.

84. Overruled – A judge’s rejection of an objection.

85. Organized Crime – Criminal activities conducted by a

structured group.

86. Parole – Conditional early release from prison.

87. Plea Bargain – A deal where the accused pleads guilty for a
lesser charge.

88. Probation – A sentence allowing supervised freedom.

89. Presumption of Innocence – The legal assumption that a

defendant is not guilty until proven otherwise.

90. Police Power – The authority of the state to regulate behavior

for public welfare.

91. Quash – To nullify or void a legal decision.

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92. Recidivism – Repeated criminal behavior.

93. Resisting Arrest – The act of opposing law enforcement during

an arrest.

94. Restitution – Compensation paid to victims by the offender.

95. Right to Counsel – The defendant’s right to a lawyer.

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96. Search Warrant – A court order allowing a property search.

97. Sentencing – The declaration of punishment after conviction.

98. Trial – A formal examination of evidence in court.

99. Verdict – The jury’s final decision.

100. Writ of Habeas Corpus – A legal order to release an

unlawfully detained person.

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