Unit 29 Lawyers in Russia

Before you read

Discuss these questions.

1 What different kinds of lawyers are there in Russia?

2 What are the differences between them?

Text a Legal Professionals

Read the text. Explain the usage of passive forms.

The state has many ways of making sure that citizens obey the law. It makes the public aware of what the law is and tries to encourage social support for law and order. It uses militia to investigate crimes and catch criminals. It authorizes courts to complete the investigation of criminal and civil offences and to pass sentences to punish the guilty and deter others. And it makes efforts to re-educate and reform people who have broken the law.

After receiving information that a crime has been committed, the investigator commences the preliminary investigation: he inspects the scene of the crime, summons and questions witnesses, detains suspects, etc. During the investigation of a criminal case, he has the right to demand that citizens should take part in examinations and searches, and testify on the facts known to them; and that persons in office make available certificates, documents, etc. The militia, the investigator, the prosecutor and the court may make such demands only within the power vested in them by law.

Supervision on observing the law is carried out by the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation. It forms a single, centralized, hierarchical system, public (the lower) prosecutors obeying the higher ones and the Prosecutor General of Russia. The Prosecutor General of Russia is appointed and dismissed by the Federation Council upon a proposal of the President.

The Prosecutor’s Office is the state body that is established to exercise supervisory power over the strict observance and application of law by all ministries, organizations, institutions, officials and citizens of the state.

The prosecutor has the right, and it is his duty, to appeal against all decisions and actions of state bodies and officials which he considers to be unlawful. Every citizen has the right to complain to the prosecutor concerning any violation of the law. When a breach of law contains elements of a crime, it is the duty of the prosecutor to bring the guilty person to trial.

The prosecutor supervises the investigation of cases conducted by the militia, and other state security bodies.

The prosecutor has the right to lodge protests against the sentences and decisions of the courts which he finds illegal.

Vocabulary

authorize v уполномочивать; давать право

challenge n зд. 1 обязанность; 2 задача

combat v бороться (против)

constituent entity n 1 субъект федерации; 2 избирательный округ

detain v 1 задерживать; 2 брать под стражу

deter v удерживать от совершения чего-либо (с помощью средств

устрашения)

re-educate v перевоспитывать

lodge v заявлять; to lodge a protest заявить протест

the Prosecutor’s Office n прокуратура

summon v вызывать; summons n вызов в суд, судебная повестка

supervisory power n надзорное право

vest v облекать, наделять (правами, властью); vested in smb.

предоставленный (кому-либо)

virtue n сила, действие; in virtue of law в силу закона

witness n свидетель

Reading tasks

Answer these questions.

1 What state bodies are responsible for preventing any violations of law?

2 What does the investigator do after receiving information that a crime has

been committed?

3 What rights do the investigating bodies have during the investigation of a

criminal case?

4 What is the function of a prosecutor?

5 Who has the right to complain to the prosecutor concerning any violation of

the law?

6 Who supervises the investigation of cases conducted by the militia?

7 Who has the right to lodge protests against the sentences and decisions of the

courts which he finds illegal?

A Match the following words and phrases with their Russian equivalents.

1 to combat crime a налагать наказание

2 to commence b предварительное следствие

3 to commit crime c давать показания

4 to detain a suspect d должностное лицо

5 to impose a penalty e бороться с преступностью

6 to maintain law and order f судебный процесс

7 in virtue of law g начинать

8 a person in office, an official h выразить протест

9 preliminary investigation i совершить преступление

10 state security bodies j надзор

11 to testify k следственный орган

12 trial l поддерживать правопорядок

13 to vest power in somebody m прокуратура

14 supervisory power n задержать подозреваемого

15 an investigating body o облекать полномочиями кого-либо

16 to lodge protest p в силу закона

17 the Prosecutor’s Office q органы госбезопасности

B Who performs the following actions? Choose the necessary words from the

box.

the militia citizens the state the investigator

law-enforcement agencies

1 __________ perform a series of acts to establish the fact of the crime.

2 __________ makes the public aware what the law is and tries to encourage

social support for law and order.

3 __________ should take part in examinations and searches.

4 __________ authorizes courts to complete the investigation of criminal and

civil offences and to pass sentences to punish the guilty and deter others.

5 _________ makes efforts to re-educate and reform people who have broken

the law.

6 __________ must be aware of the laws which affect their lives.

7 __________ protects state and personal property, safeguards the rights and

interests of citizens.

C Read the following words and try to guess the meaning of their derivatives.

Distribute them into 3 columns.

nouns verbs adjectives

to investigate – investigation - investigator

to establish – establishment

to discover - discovery

to determine – determined - determination

to inspect – inspector - inspection

to question - a question – questioning

a suspect – to suspect – suspicious

person – personal

original – an original – to originate

offender – offence