Module 4 unit 1

	Text: Judiciary of Ukraine.
	Grammar: Sequence of Tenses.

Judiciary of ukraine

The sphere in which the law operates is quite extensive. It embraces our life and work, determines the legal status of every citizen. That's why it is very important to know all peculiarities of the judicial system of the country.

97 per cent of all criminal cases and 99 per cent of all civil cases are examined in the principal link of Ukrainian judicial system - the people's courts of districts and towns. The most serious offences ere examined by the courts of regions. The Supreme Court of Ukraine only examines cases of particular complexity or of special public significance, and does so either upon its own decision, or upon the initiative of the Procurator of Ukraine.

The judicial system of Ukraine consists of district (town) People's Courts, regional and territorial courts, the Supreme Court, military tribunals (for servicemen). All the country's judicial bodies are elected. The population elects judges and people's assessors.

The legality of the court's activities is controlled by the Procurator's Office which has the right of protest in a higher court. However, the procurator himself has no right to cancel a verdict.

The Procurator's Office exercises general supervision over the observance of laws on the part of executive organs, officials and individual citizens.

The Procurator-General of Ukraine is appointed by Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament).

The legislation of Ukraine makes it binding on the court, the procurator and investigator to ensure all-round, complete and fair examination of all the circumstances of the case. In most criminal cases the court hearing is preceded by the complicated work of collecting and investigating evidence. According to Ukrainian procedural law this stage is called preliminary investigation. The conclusions arrived at by the investigator and procurator regarding the guilt of a person have preliminary character. The court alone decides on penalty to be applied to the person guilty of a crime.

In cases provided for by the law, the court alone has the right to decide which of the parties has violated the law. The Judges hand down decisions only in keeping with their internal conviction, with the law and in conformity with the circumstances of the case. No person can regard guilty or subjected to legal punishment until sentence has been passed by a court of law. All citizens of Ukraine are equal before the law.

Vocabulary

extensive	-	обширний
to embrace	-	обнімати, обіймати
peculiarity	-	особливість
criminal case	-	кримінальна справа
civil case	-	цивільна справа
to examine	-	досліджувати, оглядати
significance	-	значення, зміст, сенс
procurator	-	повірений, прокурор
the Procurator's Office	-	прокуратура
judge	-	суддя
assessor	-	експерт
observance	-	додержання, виконання (законів)
to ensure	-	гарантувати, забезпечувати
fair	-	справедливий, чесний
circumstances	-	обставини, умови
to precede	-	передувати
evidence	-	підстава, доказ
preliminary	-	попередній
conclusion	-	закінчення, завершення
Guilt	-	провина, провинність
guilty	-	винний, винуватий
penalty	-	покарання, штраф
to violate	-	порушувати, ламати
conviction	-	переконання
conformity	-	відповідність
punishment	-	кара, покарання
sentence	-	вирок, рішення

Ex. 1. Read and translate the following words.

Судочинство, судоустрій, строк перебування на посаді, процес, справедливо, винен, справед­лива кара, Верховний суд, федеральний районний суд, апелляційний суд, судовий розгляд, недоторканість, засновувати, забороняти, суддя, Конституційний суд, призначати, адвокат, цивільний процес, звинувач, судова влада, майно.

Ex. 2. Put the necessary words into the sentences.

1. A court is an institution that …

2. Disputes come to the court when …

3. Courts decide what …

4. Courts play an important ...

5. The lawyers' task is to bring out ...

6. The lawyers represent interests of ...

7. The lawyers are prepared to furnish ...

8. The lawyers serve a variety of ...

9. The firm represents clients' interests in ...

10. 10. Our firm has extensive experience in …

Ex. 3. Translate the sentences into Russian. Pay attention to using of sequence of tenses of the verbs.

1. He says that he lived in Kiev.

2. He said that he lived in Kiev.

3. He said that he had lived in Kiev.

4. The students knew what they would prepare for examinations.

5. The teacher knows that all the students are present at the lesson.

6. The teacher knew that everybody was at the English lesson.

7. He thought that his friend would work the following week.

Ex. 4. Choose the right form of the verb. Pay attention to using of sequence of tenses of the verbs.

1. They thought that the trial (held, had held, would be held) the following week.

2. Police officers were sure that they (arrested, had arrested, would arrest) all the members of that criminal band the previous month.

3. The driver was sure that he (went, had gone, would go) the right side of the road in London.

4. The man didn’t know that the pick-pocket (stole, had stolen, would steal) his purse in the crowded bus.

5. The policeman knew that the teenagers (met, had met, would meet) in that place to buy drugs.

Ex. 5. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the main types of courts in the Ukrainian court system?

2. What does legal procedure system consist of?

3. What functions do regional and district courts carry out?

4. What is a court?

5. What institution settles disputes through a legal process?

6. What role does a court play in the life of society?

7. Are the judges of the Supreme Court elected or appointed?

8. Are the judges of District Courts appointed in Ukraine?