Текст: «Отправление правосудия».

TEXT

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

Among English courts we must distinguish between civil and criminal jurisdiction; some courts have both jurisdictions, some only one.

The civil courts. There is one court of first instance for the whole of England, with an unlimited competence in all civil cases – the High Court of Justice. From this an appeal lies to the Court of Appeal. From this again an appeal lies to the House of Lords. These courts are central and superior.

Besides these there are some five hundred “county courts” which are local, inferior, and of limited competence and from them an appeal lies to the High Court. They are local courts; they exercise a civil jurisdiction. The defendant must (ordinarily) be sued in the court of the district within he dwells or carries on business. In many cases a plaintiff has a choice between the county court and the High Court; in some he must go to the county court. There are about fifty county court judges, each of whom therefore has generally several districts. The judge is appointed by the Lord Chancellor from among barristers of seven years’ standing.

The Criminal Courts. Punishable offences fall into two classes – indictable and non-indictable.

A vast quantity of petty offences are by statute punishable upon summary conviction – this means trial without jury before two justices (or one police magistrate).

The courts in which this jurisdiction is exercised are often spoken of as Petty Sessions. The punishment inflicted by these can seldom exceed three months imprisonment and for the most part consists of fines of varying amount. The province of this summary justice is variegated.

The graver offences (felonies and misdemeanours) can be punished on an indictment. Indictment is still in form an accusation made by a grand jury. An indictment may be the first step in prosecution; but as a matter of fact, this is not usual. Generally before the accused is indicted, he is subjected to a magisterial examination and is committed to prison to await his trial or else he is bailed. Magisterial examination has now become a preliminary trial.

The criminal courts are Quarter Sessions and the High Court of Justice. Quarter Sessions are not competent to try quite the worst offences, such as murder, treason, and some others – perjury, forgery libel, etc. They are constituted, as of old, by justice of the peace – who are the judges of law – while a jury decides questions of fact. An elected chairman presides.

Since 1875 all other courts which try indictable offences are theoretically branches of the High Court of Justice.

(Abridged from “Constitutional History of England” by F.W. Maitland, Cambridge)

Задания к тексту

I. Подберите русские эквиваленты к следующим терминологическим выражениям:

1) petty offense; 2) jurisdiction; 3) punishment; 4) accused; 5) plaintiff; 6) defendant; 7) graver offenses; 8) jury; 9) imprisonment; 10) an elected chairman.

II. Найдите в тексте английские соответствия следующих лексических единиц:

1) гражданская и уголовная юриспруденция; 2) суд первой инстанции; 3) гражданское дело; 4) суды графств; 5) истец; 6) ответчик; 7) ограниченная ответственность; 8) более тяжкие преступления; 9) выборный председатель; 10) наказание.

III. Ответьте письменно на следующие вопросы:

1) What kinds of petty offenses do you know?

2) What are graver offences?

3) What is a Petty Session in the English Court?

4) What is the role of a jury?

*IV. Выпишите из текста с переводом все термины, обозначающие преступления. Разделите их на две колонки, соответственно озаглавив Petty Offenses и Graver Offenses.

UNIT 7.

Грамматика: Комплексное использование всех видо-временных форм в настоящем времени (Present).

Грамматические упражнения

Текст: Court Martial Proceedings in England (Военное судопроизводство в Англии)

Задания к тексту

Грамматика: Комплексное использование всех видо-временных форм в настоящем времени (Present).

Для успешного выполнения предлагаемых ниже заданий советуем вам повторить материал предыдущих уроков; особое внимание уделите формулам сказуемых (урок 1) и условиям, определяющим, какая видо-временная форма должна быть употреблена (лексическим, грамматическим и контекстуальным маркерам). Если структурные аспекты не вызывают у вас затруднений, то выполнение заданий окажется сравнительно лёгким.

Грамматические упражнения

I. Определите, какие видо-временные формы сказуемого употреблены в предложениях. Напишите их названия (напр., Present Simple). Переведите предложения на русский язык.

1) My sister studies French. 2) Don’t call her; she is studying. 3) Today she has been studying since morning. 4) She has studied all new words for the next lesson. 5) The judge has just considered those papers. 6) We have been waiting for them here already for an hour. 7) Do you work or study there? – I work there as a secretary. 8) Some lawyers are consulting our representatives. 9) I don’t hear what they are speaking about. 10) I usually water my flowers at home myself.

II. Раскройте скобки, поставив сказуемое в нужную видо-временную форму.

1. He (to sit) in the hall for an hour already. 2. We (to work) as lawyers in that office. 3. Now she (to consult) her colleagues. 4. Where is the article? – Jane (to take) it with her. 5. Come here quicker, please. You (to smoke) too long. 6. Don’t go out, it (to rain) outside. 7. Shall I take my umbrella with me? – No, you needn’t; the rain (to stop). 8. Many students (to come) to our library every day. 9. What you (to speak) about? I don’t understand you. 10. I’m afraid, he (not to speak) English well enough to take part in the international conference.

III. Переведите на английский язык. При возникновении трудностей обращайте внимание на маркеры и структурные “формулы” сказуемых.

1. Скажите, пожалуйста, дождь уже прекратился? 2. Обычно она приходит на работу рано. 3. Что вы там видите? 4. Почему никто не конспектирует? 5. Я говорю с вами уже полчаса, но, как я вижу, вы не понимаете, или не хотите понимать. 6. Это очень сложный вопрос, мы думаем над ним уже полгода. 7. Если я не в кабинете, я звоню шоферу по мобильному телефону на пейджер. 8. Ты можешь оставить мне сообщение на пейджере? 9. Алло! Я вас слушаю. 10. Ты звонишь из аэропорта? – Нет, я как раз подъезжаю к нему. 11. Я ещё не видел Сергея.