The Court system of England and Wales

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, unless they are appeals on points of law. 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 may be referred to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. In addition, individuals have made the British Government change its practices in a number of areas as a result of petitions to the European Court of Human Rights.

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 professional standards, disputes between individuals, and disputes between individuals and Government departments (for example, over taxation).

In Britain, the vast majority of judges (that is, the people who decide what should be done with people who commit crimes) are unpaid. They are called "Magistrates", a"Justices of the Peace" (JPs). They art ordinary citizens who are selected not because they have any legal training but because the) have "sound common sense" and understand their fellow human beings. They give up time voluntarily.

A small proportion of judges are notMagistrates. They are called "High Court Judges" and they deal with the most serious crimes, such as those for which the criminal might be sent to prison for more than a year. High Court Judges, unlike Magistrates, are paid salaries by the State and have considerable legal training.

Magistrates are selected by special committees in every town anddistrict. Nobody, not even the Magistrates themselves, knows who is on the special committee in their area. The committee tries to draw Magistrates from as wide a variety of professions and social classes as possible.

Задания к тексту «THE COURT SYSTEM OF ENGLAND AND WALES»

I. Прочитайте и устно переведите текст.

II. Найдите английские эквиваленты в тексте:

Мировой судья, Суд Короны, уголовное дело, гражданское дело, суд графства, вышестоящий суд, Европейский суд по правам человека, суд по делам несовершеннолетних, правонарушитель, насильственная смерть, развод, банкротство, высший апелляционный суд, мировой судья, юридическая подготовка.

III. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту (письменно):

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

2. Where do more serious criminal cases go?

3. What is the highest court of appeal in England and Wales?

4. What courts do deal with offenders under 17?

5. Which courts do investigate violent, sudden and unnatural death?

6. What makes quick, cheap and fair decisions?

7. What do administrative tribunals do?

8. Who are «Justices of the Peace»?

9. Are «High Court Judges» paid?

10. Who are magistrates selected by?

IV. Найдите в тексте все существительные, данные во множественном числе. Разбейте их на группы в зависимости от того, как произносится окончание множественного числа ([s], [z], [iz]). Образуйте от них единственное число.

V. Поставьте данные предложения в вопросительную и отрицательную формы.

1. Tribunals deal with professional standards, disputes between individuals and disputes between individuals and government departments.

2. The highest court of appeal in England and Wales is the House of Lords.

VI. Поставьте вопросы к подчёркнутым словам.

1. More serious crimina l cases go to the Crown Court. (+ alternative question)

2. The most common type of the law courts in England and Wales is the magistrate’s court.

VII. Дайте литературный перевод отрывка (письменно).

«In Britain, … voluntarily.»

Текст для домашнего чтения №2

Дата добавления: 2015-07-16