Unit 11 Court System of the usa. Court System of England and Wales

Task 1. Read and memorize the active vocabulary to the text

Court Systems of the USA, England and Wales.

court суд, склад суду, засідання суду,

приміщення суду

custody утримання під вартою

evidence докази, свідчення

suspect підозрюваний

guilty винний

indictment обвинувальний акт

to indict somebody представити обвинувачення

jury присяжні, суд присяжних

to serve/ sit on a jury бути членом суду присяжних

juror/ jury member присяжний

law закон, право, юриспруденція

defendant підсудний, відповідач

a criminal court римінальний суд

a criminal case кримінальна справа

criminal злочинець

crime злочинність, злочин

charge звинувачення

the courts судові органи

juvenile неповнолітній

trial судовий процес, судовий розгляд

at a trial на суді

to try судити

to accuse (of) обвинувачувати

the accused обвинувачуваний, обвинувачувані

Supreme Court Верховний суд

court of appeal/appeals court касаційний суд

circuit court (U.S.) окружний виїзний суд

district court (U.S.) федеральний районний суд

a grave crime тяжкий злочин

petty crime дрібний злочин

fine штраф

legal action/ suit позов, тяжба

offence правопорушення, злочин

offender правопорушник, злочинець

Task 2. Read and translate the text, write down all the unknown words.

Judicial System of the usa and Great Britain

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial organ and the Supreme Court Building is in Washington. The Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice of the US and eight Associate Justices. They are all appointed by the President and approved by the Senate. The Supreme Court has the right to declare unconstitutional any law passed by Congress or any order issued by the President. This right of veto is widely used to block the passage of any progressive bills. The USA is divided into eleven judicial circuits and each one is served with a Federal Court of Appeals. As a rule the Court of Appeals sits with three judges on the bench. There are about 90 district courts in different parts of the US. The district courts are the lowest ones in the Federal court system. Most of the criminal and civil cases are tried by these courts. The district court is the only Federal court where trials are held, juries are used, and witnesses are called. There are about two hundred district judges in the USA. Cases tried in the district court may be appealed in one of the eleven Courts of appeal and in the Supreme Court. The decision of the Supreme Court is final. In the USA the judiciary is divided into the federal and state judiciary. Jurisdiction of particular courts or judges is determined by either national or state constitutions and laws. The state courts are organized in a system that looks like the system of Federal Courts with a Supreme Court at the top. In most of the states the lowest courts are the magistrates, or police courts.

The most common type of law court in England and Wales is the magistrates' court. There are 700 magistrates' court there.

More serious criminal cases then go to the Crown Court, which has 90 branches in different towns and cities. Civil cases (for example, divorce or bankruptcy cases) are dealt with in County courts.

Appeals are heard by higher courts. For example, appeals from magistrates' court are heard in the Crown Court, unless they are appeals on points of law. The highest court of appeal in England and Wales is the House of Lords. Certain cases may be referred to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg or to the European Court of Human Rights set up in Strasbourg.

The legal system also includes juvenile courts (which deal with offenders under seventeen) and coroners' courts (which investigate violent, sudden or unnatural deaths).

Task 3. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the highest tribunal in the USA?

2. What is the courts’ function?

3. What are various other Federal courts?

4. What were the Courts of Appeal organized for?

5. The District Courts have original jurisdiction in nearly all cases, haven’t they?

6. How are judges appointed in the USA?

7. Do you know any special courts in the USA?

8. What are the lowest courts in most of states?

9. What cases do magistrates or police courts try?

10. Has the magistrate the authority to receive a man accused of murder?

11. What are two main reasons for having a variety of courts?

12. What is the division between civil and criminal law?

13. Where does a criminal case usually begin?

14. Where do serious crimes begin?

15. What is the job of the jury?

16. How many jurors are there in a Crown Court?

17. How are jurors elected?

18. Is it necessary for a juror to know anything about the law?

19. What is the judges’ responsibility?

20. Why is the contrast between law and fact very important?

Task 4. Pick out from the text all the word combinations with the following words and give their Ukrainian equivalent.

To suspect, a suspect, criminal case, to accuse of, the accused, petty crime, witnesses, a coroner.

Task 5. Complete the following expressions choosing a suitable preposition from the list below; find the best way of expressing them in Ukrainian.

1. Eight Associate Justices are all appointed … the President and approved … the Senate.

2. The right of veto is widely used … block the passage … any progressive bills.

3. The USA is divided … eleven judicial circuits and each one is served … a Federal Court of Appeals.

4. … a rule the Court of Appeals sits … three judges … the bench.

5. There are … two hundred district judges … the USA.

About, by (2), to, of, into, with (2), in, as, on

Task 6. Translate the following sentences and pay special attention to the underlined words or phrases.

1. In almost all cases a person seeking justice brings his suit in a state court of the particular state he lives.

2. District courts have been set up in each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia.Each of these courts, as a rule, has jurisdiction over a state or part of a state.

3. The Supreme Court of the USA hears only such cases as it deems necessary to the public interest.

4. The term of court is the period fixed by law for the holding of court sessions. Terms of court may be regular or special.

5. Jurisdiction has been defined as the authority of a court to hear and determine a case.

6. A court of original jurisdiction is one in which a legal proceeding is first started.

7. A court of appellate jurisdiction is one which reviews cases removed by appeal from a lower court.

8. If a litigant feels that justice has not been reached, he may appeal to the court of appeal.

Task 7. Make the following sentences complete by translating the phrases in brackets.

1. The decision of the Supreme Court (є остаточним, вирішальним).

2. The state courts are organized in a system that looks like the system (федеральних судів з Верховним Судом) at the top.

3. Judges in federal courts (призначаються довічно).

4. A court is a place where (здійснюється правосуддя).

5. Criminal courts (визначають покарання за злочини).

6. (Цивільні суди) deal with the disputes between separate partners, firms, corporations.

7. A court has the authority (слухати та виносити рішення у справі).

8. A court of law is one which administers justice according to the principles (та норм загального права).

9. A wrong is commited when (право порушується).

10. Civil cases (такі як банкрутство або розлучення) are dealt with in County courts of England and Wales.

11. (Суди у справах неповнолітініх) deal with persons under seventeen.

12. Magistrates’ Courts may try the less serious indictable offences (спрощено, без участі присяжних).

Task 8. Give synonyms to the words in bold type.

1. The President has the right to approve or veto bills passed by Congress.

2. A member of a Senate is usually called a Senator.

3. The Law Commission for England and Wales consists of a chairman and four other qualified experts appointed by Lord Chancellor.

4. In almost all cases a person seeking justice brings his suit in a state court in the state he lives.

5. Civil Courts decide disputes between persons in their private capacity.

6. A person who is engaged in a lawsuit as a party may be either a plaintiff or a defendant in civil case.

Task 9. Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right. Use them in the sentences of your own.

1. suspect		a) a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime
2. indictment		b) a person thought to be guilty of a crime
3. jury		c) crimes more serious in nature
4. grave crime		d)a legal decree dissolving a marriage
5. divorce		e) a body of people who give a verdict in a legal case

Task 10. Topics for discussion.

1. Express your own opinion as to the development of Judicial System in Ukraine, the USA.

2. Peculiarities of British Court System.

3. Compare the three Court Systems and find out similarities and differences.

4. Give your personal attitude towards certain improvements in the Court System of Ukraine in future.