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1. The present Russian judicial system follows the structure of courts of the USA.

2. The Higher Arbitration Court acts only as a court of original jurisdiction.

3. The Supreme Court is the supreme judicial body for all courts of general jurisdiction on civil, criminal and administrative matters.

4. The Constitutional Court has jurisdiction to interpret the RF Constitution; to decide whether a federal law is consistent with the country’s Constitution; and to adjudicate whether or not laws and regulations passed by the Republics and Regions of the Russian Federation are consistent with the RF Constitution.

5. The Plenary Session of the Supreme Court can issue laws.

6. Military Courts consider disputes involving military personnel.

7. There are two chambers in the structure of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation: Judicial Chamber on Civil Cases and Judicial Chamber on Criminal Cases.

8. Regulations are abstract opinions (not decisions in exact disputes) but legally binding on all lower courts.

9. Judges for all courts are approved by the State Duma.

10. The judicial system of the Russian Federation consists of courts at the federal level and regional courts.

TEXT 2

The Structure of the RF Courts (Part II)

Vocabulary

1. to constitute — составлять

2. a challenge — претензия, оспаривание, проблема

3. rural — деревенский, сельский

4. overwhelming — непомерный, подавляющий

5. to handle — разрешать, заниматься (каким-либо делом), syn. to try, to consider

6. petty — мелкий, незначительный

7. a review — пересмотр, обзор

Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы.

1. What is the jurisdiction of Constitutional Courts (or Charter Courts) of the Subjects of the Russian Federation?

2. What courts does the three-tiered system of courts of general jurisdiction at the regional level consist of?

3. What disputes do courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation consider?

4. What disputes do district courts consider?

5. What disputes do justices of the peace deal with?

6. What courts does the system of arbitration courts at the regional level consist of? What are the jurisdictions of all?

REGIONAL COURTS

2.1. Constitutional Courts (or Charter Courts) of the Subjects of the Russian Federationwith the jurisdiction to interpret Regional Constitutionsand Charters and decide whether local statutes are consistent with Regional Constitutions and Charters.

Courts of General Jurisdiction.

Courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

These include the Supreme Courts of the Republics, the highest Courts of each Region, the Moscow and Saint-Petersburg City Courts, and the courts of autonomous districts. Courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation serve as courts of cassation and extraordinary appeal from their subordinate district courts. Their original jurisdiction constitutes challenges to normative laws and regulations of the regional authorities, and adoption of regulations.

2.3.There are district courts located in the country’s smaller towns and rural administrative areas including groups of villages; cities have several courts of that kind. District courts are the basis of the system of courts of general jurisdiction, with jurisdiction over the overwhelming majority of civil and criminal cases, unless otherwise provided by law. As courts of appeal, district courts decide appeals from justices of the peace.

2.4. Justices of the peaceform an integral part of the system of courts ofgeneral jurisdiction, although they are considered to be regional judges.

They handle minor civil disputes, petty administrative and criminal offences. Appeals against decisions of justices of the peace go to district courts, the decisions of which are final. In each district there may be several justices of the peace.

Arbitration Courts.

1.Ten Federal District Arbitration Courts act as courts of cassation.

2.The Appellate Courts consider appeals as a rehearing with new evidence.

3.The Arbitration Courts of the subjects of the Russian Federation consider the absolute majority of economic disputes.