UNIT 3

COURTS

Grammar: Modal Verbs

Introduction

Find answers to the following questions in the text below:

1. What role do courts play in Ukraine?

2. What does the jurisdiction of the courts extend to?

3. What is the Supreme Court of Ukraine?

4. What is the Constitutional Court?

5. What courts does the judicial system of Ukraine include?

A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law.

According to the Constitution, justice in Ukraine is administered exclusively by courts. The jurisdiction of the courts extends to all legal relations that arise in the State. The Constitution points out that the establishment of extraordinary and special courts is prohibited. The general structure of the judicial system is stipulated in Article 124 of the Constitution of Ukraine, according to which the justice is administered by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and by courts of general jurisdiction. The courts of general jurisdiction administer justice in the form of civil, commercial, administrative and criminal legislation. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is a special judicial body of constitutional control.

The Supreme Court of Ukraine is the highest judicial body in the system of courts of general jurisdiction. The Supreme Court is regarded as being an independent and impartial body.

Ukraine has no jury system; most cases are heard by either a single judge or two judges accompanied by assessors. Ukraine has about 8,000 judges. 

The judicial system of Ukraine consists of four levels of courts of general jurisdiction, as follows:

Local courts of general jurisdiction (combining criminal and civil jurisdiction) consisting of: district, urban district and town courts; regional courts; city courts in Kyiv and Sevastopol; administrative local courts.

Appeals courts, consisting of: appeals court of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea; regional appeals courts; appeals courts of the cities of Kyiv and  Sevastopol; appeals court of the Ukrainian Navy; regional military appeals courts;

economic appeals courts (known also as arbitration courts); administrative appeals courts.

High courts with specialized jurisdiction: The Appeals Court of Ukraine, covering civil, criminal and military cases; The High Administrative Court of Ukraine, covering administrative cases; The High Arbitration Court of Ukraine, covering economic and commercial cases;

The Supreme Court, covering all cases.

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is a special body with authority to assess whether legislative acts are in line with the Constitution of Ukraine.

Prereading tasks

1. Compose the diagram presenting the information on judicial organization in uk/ the usa/ Ukraine which shows the hierarchy and jurisdiction of the Courts.

2. Match the following English words and expressions with their Ukrainian equivalents:

1 to administer justice a відшкодовувати збитки

2 legal action b підтверджувати

3 to award damages c анулювати, скасовувати

4 transcript d суд першої інстанції

5 brief e відправляти правосуддя

6 to affirm f судовий процес

7 trial court g виправляти

8 to reverse h повертати до першої інстанції

9 to amend і засіб юридичного захисту

10 to remand j розшифровка (стенограма)

11 legal remedy k стислий письмовий виклад справи із

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