- •4. Decide in which sentence the underlined parts are used correctly.
- •5. Listen to a conversation between two attorneys. Choose the correct answers.
- •4. Fill in the blanks with the correct words and phrases from the
- •5. Listen and read the brochure again. What services does the
- •6. Listen to a phone call between a client and an attorney at a law
- •7. Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •8. With a partner, act out the roles below based on Task 7.
- •I suggest you…...
- •9. Use the conversation from Task 8 to fill out the attorney’s
- •2. Listen, read and say if the following statements are true or
- •3. Choose the response that answers the questions.
- •4. Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined
- •5. Listen to a conversation between two lawyers. Choose the
- •6. Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •7. With a partner, act out the roles below based on Task 6. Then,
- •8. Use the conversation from Task 7 to complete a lawyer’s
- •1. Before you read the passage, talk about these questions.
- •3. Match the words (1-4) with the definitions (a-d).
- •4. Read the sentence pair. Choose where the words best fit in
- •5. Listen to a conversation between a lawyer and
- •6. Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •7. With a partner, act out the roles below based on
- •I’ve signed the……
- •8. Use the conversation from Task 7 to complete the paralegal’s
- •1. Before you read the passage, talk about these questions.
- •2. Read the text about court structure.
- •3. Read the sentence and choose the correct word.
- •4. Use the words from the bank to fill in the blanks.
- •5. Listen and read the text again. What types of courts are there
- •In the usa?
- •6. Listen to a conversation between a client and his attorney. Then
- •7. Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •8. With a partner, act out the roles below based on Task 7.
- •Is my case going to the ….. Courts?
- •9. Use the conversation from Task 8 to complete a lawyer’s
- •1. Before you read the passage, talk about these questions.
- •2. Read the text and complete the table using information from it.
- •3. Choose the sentence that uses the underlined parts correctly.
- •4. Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined
- •5. Listen and read the text again. How many types of jurisdiction
- •6. Listen to a conversation between two attorneys discussing a case.
- •7. Listen again and complete the conversation.
- •Supplementary reading The Aims of Law
- •The legal system
- •Civil law, Common law, Criminal law.
- •Enforcing the Law
- •Courts.
- •Lawyers’ work
- •Professional Titles
- •Entering the Profession
- •Differences in criminal and civil procedure
- •Vocabulary
Enforcing the Law
Governments have many ways of making sure that citizens obey the law. They make the public aware of what the law is and try to encourage social support for law and order. They use police forces to investigate crimes and catch criminals. They authorize courts to complete the investigation of criminal and civil offences and pass sentences to punish the guilty and deter others. And they make efforts to re-educate and reform people who have broken law.
The laws of all countries are to be found in written records – the legal codes of countries with continental systems, the statutes and case judgements of common law countries, warnings on official forms and notices in public buildings. Many people do not know where to find these records and do not find it easy to read them. But ignorance of the law is almost never a defense for breaking it. Governments usually expect citizens to be aware of the laws which affect their lives. Sometimes they seem very harsh, for example, when the law is very technical.
Police
Britain has 52 regional police forces, which are responsible for maintaining law and order in their own area. London has two police forces, the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police. Each regional police force is led by a Chief Constable. Police officers wear dark blue uniforms, and constables wear tall hard helmets. The British police force is relatively small, with one police officer to every 400 people. Each police force has a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of detectives. CID officers are chosen from the police. They do not wear uniforms and have the title Detective before their rank, e.g. Detective Inspector Jones. Individual police forces have other special units for areas such as traffic, child protection, etc. And there are also national police organizations, such as Special Branch which works to prevent terrorism. In 2004 the government announced the creation of a new national organization, the Serious Organized Crime Agency.
Courts.
British law is divided into civil law and criminal law. Civil law concerns disagreements between individuals about matters such as business contracts. Criminal law deals with offences. In civil cases, the plaintiff brings an action against the defendant in the hope of winning damages. Criminal cases are brought against criminals by the state.
In England most towns have a Magistrates’ court where minor criminal cases are judged by three magistrates called Justices of the Peace, specially trained members of the public. More serious cases are heard in a Crown Court by a judge and a jury. Minor civil cases, such as divorce and bankruptcy are heard in the county courts and more serious ones in the High Court of Justice. Appeals against decisions from the Crown Court or the High Court go to the Court of Appeal. A few cases, where a question of law is in doubt go to the House of Lords.
Lawyers’ work
Lawyers work to assure the principle of equal justice under law to the people of the state.
A lawyer is both an advisor and an advocate. As an advisor, a lawyer informs clients about legal matters or represents persons, businesses, and the government in such matters as contracts and commercial transactions.
As an advocate, a lawyer acts for the client in court. A lawyer also advocates on behalf of clients in resolving disputes out of court.
Lawyers’ work can include defending or prosecuting those accused of committing a crime.
Lawyers research legal issues, draft contracts, wills and other documents, counsel, mediate, and negotiate settlements.
Some lawyers specialize in advising corporations working as in-house counsel. They also act for the company in court if a dispute arises.
Most lawyers practice in law firms that can be small or big, but usually have different areas to counsel clients on.
Usually, lawyers concentrate on a certain practice area: taxation or intellectual property, some practice public interest law, for example working to protect the environment.
Some lawyers may be appointed or elected to serve as judges. Judges preside in the courtroom. They resolve disputes and give the judgments. In a jury trial they rule on points of law and tell the jury about the law that governs the case.
Lawyers also work for various government agencies and organizations.
Legal careers also include teaching law and research.