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HistoryCentral.com > American History > US Civic Terms > W
The Civics Glossary Wall of separation - term for the separation of church and state, coined by Thomas Jefferson. According to Jefferson, the freedom of religion articulated in the First Amendment to the Constitution could best be articulated with the image of a "wall of separation" between the state and the church. This view of the First Amendment has been criticized by some.
Wards - subdivisions of a city, for sectioning election districts. A significant number of cities are divided into wards.
Warrant - a court order that makes an official action legal, such as a search warrant or an arrest warrant.
White House - center of the executive branch and official residence of the President and his immediate family. The President's key personal and political staff have offices in the White House. Most work in the West Wing, which also contains the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room. Aside from the Vice President and Cabinet members, the major Executive advisors are: the Chief of Staff of the White House; the Counsel to the President; the Press Secretary; the President's Physician; and the Director of Staff for the First Lady.
Writ of certiorari - court order issued by the Supreme Court to order a lower court to send up the record of a case. Supreme Court justices use writs of certiorari to bring cases from lower courts to the Supreme Court for review. "Certiorari" means "to be informed" or "to be made more certain" in Latin.
Writ of habeas corpus - court order which requires that individuals who have been arrested or detained be physically brought before the court to determine whether they are being held on legal grounds. This helps protect people from being arbitrary arrested and/or held in custody for excessive periods unnecessarily. "Habeas corpus" means "you must have the body."
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