Are the following statements true or false?

1) The text describes different law fields.

2) According to the text, law is generally enforced through a set of institutions.

3) The text characterizes means by which the state can prosecute the perpetrator.

4) Civil law system doesn’t differ essentially from that of common law.

5) Common law systems usually codify their laws.

6) There are no countries where religion informs the law.

7) Law also raises significant and complicated problems concerning equality, fairness and justice.

8) Basic issues are about the same for each country.

 

Complete the chart with the information from the text.

SPHERE OF LAW	CHARACTERISTICS
Contract law	regulates everything from buying a bus ticket to trading on derivatives markets.
Property law
	involves anything dealing with real property (land).

3. In the text find the synonyms for the following words:

course of action, put into effect, freedom, duties, to be intended, rulings, law, measures, offender, penalty, principle, concerning, develop, difference.

 

4. Use the information in the text to explain the meaning of the following legal terms:

- law;

- civil law jurisdiction;

- common law system;

- public law;

- private law;

- trusts law;

- traditional core subjects.

 

III. PRACTICE AND EXPERIENCE

Do the General Law Quiz. Discuss the answers in groups of four.

1) What type of law system relies heavily on tradition and precedent?

A Civil Law

B Common Law

C Public Law

D Private Law

 

2) Which of the following is the most appropriate explanation of Civil Law:

Civil Law is about...

A ensuring perpetrators of crimes are punished

B ensuring that the processes of government are in accordance with the principles of democracy

C settling disputes among individuals

D protecting the rights of the individual when they are accused of a crime.

 

3) Which of the following is the most appropriate word used to indicate law that has come into existence through the decision of judges in previous court cases:

A Precedence

B Antecedence

C Preference

D Supposition

 

4) Which of the following is the best explanation of the term "Legislation"?

A Law made in the courts by the decision of judges

B Law made in parliament by the decision of judges

C Law made in courts by the decision of elected representatives of the people

D Law made in parliament by the decision of elected representatives of the people

 

5) Which of the following is not a legal term?

A civil tort

B criminal tort

C constitutional tort

D government tort

E personal tort

F public tort

6) In the United Kingdom, what kind of a lawyer wears a wig in court?

A jury

B barrister

C defendant

D prosecutor

 

7) The laws of the United States of America are fundamentally founded on which established set of laws?

A General Civil Law

B English Common Law

C French Civil Law

D The Laws of the Founding Fathers

 

 

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

1) Why do we have laws?

2) Where, when and why do you think laws first started?

3) Do you think all laws are good?

4) Would you like to be a lawmaker? What new laws would you like your country to introduce?

5) Do you think the laws in your country are similar to those in other countries?

6) Are there any laws in your country that you think should be made tighter?

7) What’s the craziest law you know of?

8) What do you think of the idea of international laws that would replace all national laws?

9) What new laws do you think we’ll have fifty years from now?

10) What law would you like to make for your English class?

 

3. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the appropriate field of law.

Constitutional Law Civil Procedure Criminal Law Procedural Criminal Law Administrative Law Financial Law Civil Law Matrimonial Law Commercial Law Labor Law

The Main Areas of Ukrainian Legislation

The Ukrainian legislative system is based on the systematically organized legal rules (norms) which are combined to constitute different legal areas - spheres of regulation.

In accordance with the system applied in Ukraine, large law areas are defined in the national legislation.

1. … law comprises the norms devoted to the political and state system, human rights, freedoms and duties of citizens, legal status of the Verkhovna Rada, the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, other central state bodies and local authorities, the Procuracy, the judiciary, territorial structure, state symbols etc. The main source of it is the Constitution.

2. … law combines the legal rules that deal with relations between the state bodies and persons, and administrative offenses as well. The main source of it law is the Code on Administrative Infractions. The newest invention is the system of the administrative courts, which are governed by rules set up in the Administrative Procedural Code of Ukraine.

3. …. law includes the legal rules defining crimes, forms of guilt, punishment, discharge or mitigation. The Criminal Code of Ukraine came into force from September 1, 2001. The main change in the new Criminal Code is the replacement of the death penalty by perpetual imprisonment. It also envisages such new types of punishment such as public work, arrest, deprivation of liberty, and official restrictions for persons on military service. Economic crimes in Ukraine are defined in a separate chapter "Crimes in Economic Sphere" of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

4. … law relates to the commencement of criminal proceedings, investigation, and court examination in criminal cases. The Criminal Procedural Code administers these procedures.

5. … includes the legal rules governing the procedure of the court consideration and solving the disputes and the enforcement of writs. This legal field is governed by the Civil Procedural Code of Ukraine.

6. … law regulates issues of the state budget, banking, tax system etc. and its object of regulation includes money, securities and other financial instruments.

Formation of the financial system of Ukraine is in a permanent progress. The Budget Code was passed at the Verkhovna Rada in 2001.

7. … law comprises provisions governing the ownership and non-property, and intellectual property rights, contracts, torts, etc. The main act in this field of legislation is the newly adopted Civil Code. The other subjects of the new Civil Code are as follows: obligations, contract law, inheritance law, legal entities concept and other. The Code introduces new types of business contracts into the legal practice: factoring, franchising, and rent service or inherited contracts etc.

8. … law relates to the grounds of marriage, its solemnization and dissolution, personal ownership and non-property rights and duties of the spouses, relations between parents and children, adoption issues etc. Such rules are incorporated into the new Family Code adopted in 2002.

9. … law regulates contracts-based relations and deals with conflicts between legal entities, individuals and/or a state. Economic Procedural Code envisages that commercial courts administer actions filed by the business participants regarding protection of their rights and interests.

10. … law includes the legal rules combined in the Labor Code of 2001 that governs the matters of the labor contracts, working hours, holidays and rest days, safety at the working place, wages, sick leave, social protection, the labor disputes resolution, as well as basics of trade union activity.

IV.WRITING

Imagine that you are a lawyer. Write a brief note about what sphere of law you prefer to practice in, point out advantages and disadvantages of being a practitioner in this field.

Prepare a report on topic: «Important and complex legal issues raised in Ukraine during last year».

 

V. OVER TO YOU

LAW QUIZ

Cotract law.

If performance of a contract is impossible, what is the reason for contract ending?

a. agreement

b. breach

c. performance

d. frustration.

Criminal law.

A defendant has the right to have counsel present at which of the following procedures?

a. analyzing of defendant΄s handwriting samples

b. a line up after formal criminal proceedings have commenced

c. witness viewing still pictures of suspect for identification purposes

d. analyzing of defendant΄s fingerprints.

Employment law.

1.Which of the following is not valid reason to bring an unlawful discrimination case against your employer:

a. gender or gender reassignment

b. race

с. religion

d. hair colour.

2. True or False: An employer can treat you less favourably because you work part time or because you work on a fixed time contract.

Administrative law.

True or False: Adjudication represents the judicial power of administrative agencies.

Constitutional law.

The President of the USA must be 35 years of age to hold office. Accordingly to the Constitution, how old must a State representative be?

a. 35

b. 25

c. 27

d. 21.