2) Choose a law in our jurisdiction that you are familiar with and explain what it says using the verbs listed above and legal terminology of this part of the unit.

Exercise 17 Say what part of speech the given words are. For references see the grammar supplement.

really, simply, usually, government, department, local, traditional, national, social, legal, governmental, existence, executive, responsi­ble, leader, wider.

Final writing task: now that you have almost completed this part of unit 2 look through it once again to find “noun + noun” combinations. Write them down with the translation

Suggested activity in conclusion: decide what you think these proverbs mean. Think of examples to illustrate some of them.

1. Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.

2. Law makers should not be law breakers.

3. One law for the rich and another for the poor.

4. The law guards us from all evils but itself.

5. The more laws the less justice.

6. The more laws the more offenders.

7. To know the law and do the right are two different things.

8. What is just and right is the law of laws.

9. Where law ends tyranny begins.

UNIT 2

PART II

THE COURT STRUCTURE

READING WITH A PURPOSE

Exercise 1 Read and translate the following text paying attention to the diagram after it.

TEXT A

COURT SYSTEM OF ENGLAND AND WALES

Every jurisdiction organizes the administration of justice in different ways. In England, the basic division between criminal and civil law is reflected in the court system.

For criminal cases there are two main types of court in England and Wales: Magistrates’ Courts (or courts of the first instance), which deal with about 95 percent of criminal cases and Crown Courts for more serious offences. All criminal cases above the level of Magistrates’ Courts are held before a jury.

There are about 700 Magistrates’ Courts in England and Wales, and near 28,000 unpaid magistrates or Justices of the Peace (JPs). They may not impose a sentence of more than six months imprisonment or a fine of more than 2000 pounds. They refer cases requiring a heavier penalty to the Crown Court. A Crown Court is presided* over by a professional judge. The verdict is reached by a jury of twelve citizens, who are selected at random.

A person convicted in a Magistrates’ Court may appeal against its decision to the local Crown Court, which will hear the appeal without a jury. Appeals against a decision of the Crown Court in special cases go to the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). The highest court of appeal is the House of Lords. The judges in the House of Lords are known as law lords. They typically sit as a committee to develop and define the law of the land. The decisions of law lords on both criminal and civil matters bind all other courts. Only the government can overturn* a decision of the House of Lords by passing an Act of Parliament.

The lowest court in a civil action is a County Court. There is one in every town in England and Wales. The judges are always professionals. They may hear cases such as contract disputes, property matters and so on. Cases involving larger amounts of money are heard by one of the divisions of the High Court. Appeals from the High Court, and most appeals from the County Courts, go to the Court of Appeal (Civil Division).

In addition to the courts mentioned above there are numerous special courts which make decisions in particular types of dispute, for example, juvenile courts* and coroners’* courts.

to preside – головувати, вести засідання

to overturn – скасовувати

juvenile court – суд у справах неповнолітніх

coroner – коронер, слідчий, який проводить дізнання у випадках насильницької, раптової чи неприродної смерті

Exercise 2 Examine the diagram below and describe the English court system.