I. Say whether the following statements are true of false

 

1. In the United Kingdom (UK), power is divided so as to ensure that it never becomes dangerously concentrated in the hands of one person or even small group of people.

2. The purpose of the executive is an overall control of all thousands of civil servants who are concerned in keeping law and order.

3. The British Constitution is a complicated written document.

4. It is the province of the Courts to guard and protect the Constitution.

5. The duties of the State include giving citizens their civil liberties.

II. Answer the questions about the text.

 

1. In what ways is the British Constitution different from the Constitutions of many other countries?

2. What are the advantages of the unwritten Constitution?

3. What power and duty do judges in the USA have and why?

4. In what way is the power in the UK divided?

5. What does the statement “the Queen in Parliament” mean?

6. In what way is the executive in local authority formed?

7. What is the Government? How is it formed? What decisions does it make?

8. What do Senior/Junior ministers do?

9. What does” to be responsible for law and order” mean? What activities does it include?

10. What two vital roles in the Constitution do judges play?

11. What cases are known as Crown Office Cases?

12. What did the trial of Jack Perizweig in November 1941 become famous for?

13. What is the position of the Crown in the Constitution?

14. What does the Queen as head of the executive do?

15. What does it mean that the system of justice is administered in the “name of the Queen”

16. Why is the trial of Charles I known to be the most famous in the history of England?

17. What are the main duties of citizens?

18. What are the main duties of the state?

19. What was the way of development of the human rights documents over the centuries.

20. What basic human rights does the European Convention guarantee?

 

III. Draw up the plan for rendering the text and then summarize it.

IV. Discuss these issues.

1. What is the British Constitution?

2. What idea is the Constitution based upon?

3. Why is power in the United Kingdom divided?

 

V. Find the information in the Internet on the following themes and make presentations in class.

1. The Government’s duties.

2. The responsibilities of the Home Secretary.

3. The Constitutional role of the Monarch.

4. Constitutions of different countries.

 

Chapter VIII

The Legal Profession

Vocabulary List

1. legal - правовой, юридический, судебный

~ profession - профессия юриста

~ qualification - юридическое образование, диплом юриста

~ work - работа, относящаяся к области права

~ training - правовое обучение

~ fees – судебные издержки

~ problem - правовая проблема, правовой вопрос

~ advice clinic - юридическая консультация

~ privilege - юридическая привилегия, привилегия по закону

~ responsibility - правовой иммунитет

2. be involved in legal matters - быть вовлеченным в тяжбу

3. represent - представлять

~ opposite sides - представлять противоположные стороны

~ sb. in criminal cases - быть представителем к-л по уголовным делам

4. right – право

fight for ~s - бороться за права

gain ~s - добиться прав

5. court – суд, здание суда

be in ~ - находиться в здании суда

mislead the ~ - вводить суд в заблуждение

appear in ~ - предстать перед судом

contempt of ~ - оскорбление суда

6. interests of justice - интересы правосудия

harm ~ - вредить интересам правосудия

in the best ~ - в интересах правосудия

7. on behalf of sb - от имени к-л

8. cause - дело

support a ~ - защищать дело

bad ~ - проигрышное дело

9. in the course of giving a judgement - в ходе вынесения приговора

10. case - судебный процесс, судебное заседание

conduct a ~ - вести судебный процесс, судебное заседание

open and shut ~s - азбучная истина, элементарный случай

present a ~ in the best possible light - представить дело в выгодном свете

fight a ~ in court - отстаивать дело в суде

costs of the ~ - затраты, издержки, расходы по делу

sufficiently serious ~ - достаточно серьезное дело

research a ~ исследовать обстоятельства дела

refer a ~ to - передать дело

take a ~ to court - передавать дело в суд

prepare a ~ - готовиться к выступлению по делу

plain ~ - простое дело

~ of neglect - дело о халатности

11. charge - обвинение

answerable ~ - обвинение с письменными возражениями ответчика по делу

unanswerable ~ - обвинение без письменных возражений ответчика по делу

12. deny being involved in a crime - отрицать свое участие в преступлении

13. defence - защита

good ~ - хорошая защита

poor ~ - плохая защита

hopeless ~ - безнадежная, безрезультатная, неудачная защита

make up a fictional ~ - создавать вымышленную защиту

disclose to the ~ - открыть к.-л. информацию защите

assist the ~ - содействовать, способствовать защите

14. plead - обращаться с просьбой, ходатайствовать

~ for a lenient sentence - ходатайствовать о мягком приговоре, наказании

~guilty - заявлять о своей виновности

15. argue - аргументировать, приводить доводы, доказывать; утверждать; заявлять

16. rule - правило

strict ~ - строгое, жесткое правило

17. interview - опрос; интервью

18. identification by eye-witness - опознание свидетелем

19. litigation - тяжба; судебный процесс

fund civil ~ - фондировать, финансировать гражданский судебный процесс

20. litigant - сторона (в судебном процессе)

21. legal aid - бесплатная юридическая помощь неимущим

apply for ~ - обратиться за бесплатной помощью

grant ~ - предоставлять бесплатную помощь

~ scheme - система предоставления бесплатной юридической помощи

22. take into custody - арестовать, взять под стражу

23. receive free advice at sth. - получить бесплатную консультацию в

24. solicitor - солиситор, адвокат

approach ~s - наладить контакт с солиситором

firm of ~s - товарищество солиситоров

qualified ~ - квалифицированный солиситор

25. claim - требование, право требования

small ~ - исковое требование на небольшую сумму

negligence ~ - иск о проявленной халатности

personal injuries ~s - иск о возмещении вреда

delay the start of a ~ - откладывать предъявление требования

bring a ~ against sb - подать иск против к.-л.

defend ~ - отвечать по иску

26. housing dispute - споры, связанные с жильем, жилищным строительством

27. work on real life cases - работать с настоящими делами

28. convicted of sth - осужденный в ч.-л.

29. robbery - кража, грабеж

30. sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment - приговоренный к восьми годам теремного заключения

31. prepare a submission for - подготовить соглашение о передаче спора в арбитраж

32. conviction - осуждение (признание виновным); судимость

quash the ~ - отменить приговор

33. award damages - возмещать убытки

34. civil justice system - система гражданского судопроизводства

35. claimant - истец; сторона, заявляющая требование; претендент

36. without the client’s consent - без согласия клиента

37. give a privilege - давать привилегию

38. immunity from suit - судебный иммунитет, иммунитет от привлечения к суду

39. give bad legal advice - предоставить неквалифицированную юридическую

консультацию

40. prepare a defective contract - составить юридически порочный контракт

41. sue - преследовать по суду

42. loyalty - лояльность, верность; соблюдение права, законов

divided ~ - двойственная лояльность

 

 

Vocabulary Notes

Vice-Chancellor (VC) a judge who is vice president of the Chancery Division of the High Court. The Vice Chancellor is by statute responsible to the Lord Chancellor for the organization and management of the business of the Division and is ex officio a member of the Court of Appeal.

Chancery Division the work of the Division is principally concerned with matters relating to real property, trusts, and the administration of estates but also includes cases concerned with company law, patents and other intellectual property, and confidentiality cases.

Lord Chief Justice of England (LCJ) the chief judge of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court. He ranks second only to the Lord Chancellor in the judicial hierarchy. The LCJ is ex officio a member of the Court of Appeal and is President of its Criminal Division.

Court of Appeal the Court exercises appellate jurisdiction over all judgements and orders of the High Court and most determinations of judges of the county courts. In some cases the Court of Appeal is the court of last resort, but in most cases its decisions can be appealed to the House of Lords, with permission of the Court of Appeal or the House of Lords. The Court is divided into a Civil Division (presided over by the Master of the Rolls) and a Criminal Division (presided over by the Lord Chief Justice).

House of Lords (the Upper House) scrutinizes legislation and has judicial functions. The house is presided over by the Lord Chancellor and its business is arranged, in consultation with the Opposition, by a government minister appointed Leader of the House. The House of Lords is the final court of appeal in the UK in both civil and criminal cases, although it refers some cases to the European Court of Justice for a ruling.

 

Reading Comprehension

Exercises

I. Scanning.

1. Find out the number of parts in this chapter. Give their titles.

2. Find in the text the place explaining the reasons of unpopularity of lawyers and of legal profession as such.

3. Find out the information about codes of professional conduct for lawyers.

4. Find in the text the author’s opinion on lawyer’s role in the course of trial.

5. Find in the text the information about legal aid system.

6. Find in the text the information about a new system of payment of fees.

7. Find in the text the information about legal advice clinics and Law Offices.

8. Find out the information about two main legal privileges.

II. Skimming