The Court system of England and Wales

Read the words:

type, serious, bankruptcy, refer, legal, system, offender, investigate, unnatural, administrative tribunal, dispute

Read the text:

The most common type of law court in England and Wales is the magistrates' court. There are 700 magistrates' courts and about 30,000 magistrates.

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’ courts are heard in the Crown Court. The highest court of appeal in England and Wales is the House of Lords. (Scotland has its own High Court in Edinburgh, which hears all appeals from Scottish courts.) Certain cases maybe referred to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

The legal system also includes juvenile courts (which deal with offenders under seventeen) and coroners' courts (which investigate violent, sudden or unnatural deaths). There are administrative tribunals which make quick, cheap and fair decisions with much less formality. Tribunals deal with disputes between individuals and disputes between individuals and government departments (for example, over taxation).

 

Vocabulary Notes

magistrates' court — мировой суд

Crown Court – Суд Короны

case – судебное дело

County court – суд графства

court of appeal — апелляционный суд

European Court of Justice – Европейский суд

juvenile court – суд по делам несовершеннолетних

violent- насильственный

coroners' court – суд, рассматривающий дела о насильственной смерти

to make a decision – принимать решение

fair – справедливый

taxation – налогообложение

 

I. Make up words:

a)

1. di 2. offen 3. dis 4. vio 5. co 6. juve 7. ca 8. coro 9. magi 10. crimi

a. nal b. se c. ner d. urt e. pute f. der g. strate h. vorce i. nile j. lent

b)

i  i  l  v  c

l  a  d  e

f  r  e  e  r

g  e  a  l  l

p  a  p  a  l  e

d  e  n  f  o  r  e  f

d  i  v  i  d  i  l  a  n  u

 

II. Make up word combinations:

1. magistrate’ 2. criminal 3. legal 4. violent 5. administrative 6. dispute 7. government 8. to make

a. a decision b. system c. between individuals d. death e. court f. department g. case h. tribunal

 

III. Mark the sentences true (T) or false (F). Correct the false ones.

1. Juvenile court is the most common type of law court in England and Wales.

2. There are seven hundred magistrates.

3. Civil cases go to County courts.

4. Criminal cases go to magistrates’ courts.

5. Higher courts deal with appeals.

6. The House of Lords is the highest court of appeals.

7. Coroners’ courts deal with offenders under 17.

8. Tribunals investigate violent deaths.

 

IV. Find the English equivalents in the text.

1. суд (2) 2. дело 3. спор 4. апелляция 5. развод 6. банкротство 7. мировой судья 8. преступник, правонарушитель

9. следователь по убийствам 10. лицо, человек 11. гражданский 12. уголовный 13. несовершеннолетний 14. насильственный 15. заниматься, разбираться 16. направлять 17. расследовать

 

V. Give 2 – 3 examples of offences or crimes and name the courts where they should be dealt with. Give your reasons.

 

VI. Use the chart to speak about the court system in England and Wales.

 

European Court of Justice

↑

The Highest Court of Appeals

↑

Crown Court

County Courts

Juvenile Courts

Coroners’ Courts

↑

Magistrates’ courts

to... or -ing

1. Put the verb in the right form, to... or -ing.

1. I enjoy dancing (dance).

2. What do you want to do (do) tonight?

3. Goodbye! I hope..................(see) you again soon.

4. I learnt..........................(swim) when I was five years old.

5. Have you finished..................(clean) the kitchen?

6. I'm tired. I want.................(go) to bed.

7. Do you enjoy..................(visit) other countries?

8. The weather was nice, so I suggested.............. (go) for a walk by the river.

9. Where's Bill? He promised......................... (be) here on time.

10. I'm not in a hurry. I don't mind........................(wait).

11. What have you decided..........................(do)?

12. George was very angry and refused...................(speak) to me.

13. Where's Ann? I need.....................(ask) her something.

14. I was very upset and started..................(cry).

15. I'm trying...............(work). Please stop...............(talk).

 

LEGAL PROFESSIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN

Vocabulary Notes

a barrister — адвокат, выступающий в суде

a solicitor — поверенный

a judge — судья

advocacy – адвокатура

to examine the case — изучить дело

litigation – тяжба, гражданское дело

to rely on – полагаться на

self-employed — зд. иметь частную практику

the right of audience – право выступать в суде

Bar – коллегия адвокатов

in house lawyer – юрист, постоянно работающий в компании

There are about 66,000 practising solicitors and over 8,000 practising barristers in England and Wales. Solicitors and barristers work together on cases but the solicitor is the first point of contact with the law for a client in the UK. The solicitor listens carefully to the client and then explains the legal position and gives advice. Barristers will only see the client in the company of a solicitor who prepares all the documents relevant to the case which will be examined by the barrister.

The barrister is a specialist in advocacy and he has the right of audience. There are only a few solicitors who are allowed to present cases inthe higher courts. Barristers are self-employed in the independent Bar. Solicitors normally get salaries but sometimes they can get extra money in the profits if they are successful. In addition to the barristers practising in England and Wales, there are 2,000 barristers working as in-house lawyers.

Judges in England and Wales have been barristers for not less than 10 years. Since judges are appointed, they can't work as barristers.

Solicitors do a variety of work — property, private law, banking, finance, employment law and environmental law.

 

I. Make up words:

1. jud 2. success 3. barri 4. audi 5. indepen 6. advo 7. soli 8. pre 9. vari 10. pri 11. employ 12. envi

ence ronment ge citor vate ful cacy ster ety ment dent pare