III. Match these words and phrases with their Russian equivalents.

a) to administer justice 1 рассматривать дело по существу
b) to bring in a sentence a decision, a judgement 2 жалоба
c) to examine a case in substance 3 вынести приговор, решение
d) an appeal 4 отправлять правосудие
e) the power of supervision over 5 подлежать отзыву
f) to be subject to removal 6 право надзора
g) a prosecutor 7 обвиняемый
h) an accused 8 обвинитель
i) a defendant 9 ответчик
j) a victim 10 истец
k) a plaintiff 11 потерпевший
1) judicial 12 судебный

IV. Here are some dictionary definitions of words. Name the jobs.

a) ___________ a public officer with authority to hear and decide a case in a law court.

b) ___________ a person who practices law.

c) ___________ a person who starts legal proceedings against sb (who prosecutes).

V. Answer the following questions:

a) What does "one" mean in the sentence?

A court of first instance is one which first examines the case in substance.

1. a case

2. a court

3. an instance

b) What does "one" mean in the sentence?

A court of second instance is one which examines appeals and protests against sentences and decisions of courts of first instance

1. an appeal

2. a court

3. a sentence

Courts in Russia

Learn the words to read and translate the text.

  1. constitutional court - суд, существующий по установлению конституции
  2. ensure = insure - гарантировать, обеспечивать
  3. normative act = standard act нормативный акт
  4. legislative branch - законодательная власть
  5. try a case - рассматривать дело
  6. arbitration court = court of jurisdiction - третейский суд, арбитражный
  7. settle = settle up - урегулировать, разрешить (спор, конфликт) ; положить конец (разногласиям)
  8. district court - 1) федеральный судж 2) окружной суд
  9. in public - открыто, публично
  10. prosecutor [′prosikju:tə] -1) а) обвинитель, прокурор; Syn: accuser б) истец Syn: plaintiff
  11. plaintiff – истец; Syn: complainant, prosecutor

The Constitutional Court ensures that the laws and other normative acts are constitutional. Laws and normative acts are passed or considered by the supreme and local legislative branches.

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body for civil, criminal, business and other cases. It has the power to supervise the activities of all the judicial bodies of the state. It interprets the issues of court practice. It tries the most important criminal and civil cases and hears appeals.

The Supreme Arbitration Court is the highest judicial body. The Court settles economic disputes and other cases examined by courts of arbitration.

The basic judicial body is the district court. District courts try both criminal and civil cases.

In all courts cases are tried in public. The participants in a trial are the prosecutor, lawyers, the plaintiff, the judge, the defendant, and others.

The hearing of cases in closed session is allowed only in exceptional cases. Closed sessions are only allowed if it is in the interests of both sides or for the necessity to keep state secrets.

Trial without participation of both sides is not allowed. The judges are independent and they must obey the law.

Courts in UK

  1. Justice of the Peace = Magistrate - судья, мировой судья
  2. Crown Court - Суд короны (уголовное отделение Высокого суда правосудия)
  3. High Court (of Justice) - Высокий суд (правосудия) (входит в состав Верховного суда в Великобритании)
  4. Court of Appeal - апелляционный суд
  5. lay justice - мировая юстиция
  6. sheriff - шериф Административно-судебное должностное лицо округа [county ], начальник окружного полицейского управления, выборное лицо, срок полномочий 2-4 года
  7. High Court of Justiciary - Суд юстициария, Высший уголовный суд (в Шотландии)
  8. justiciary [ʤʌs′tiʃəri] 1) судейский чиновник; 2) уголовный суд
  9. Court of Session - Сессионный суд (верховный гражданский суд Шотландии = высший гражданский суд Шотландии)
  10. European Court of Justice ECJ - Европейский суд (рассматривает дела о нарушении законов Европейского сообщества)
  11. petition - петиция; прошение, ходатайство
  12. European Court of Human Rights (the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg) Европейский международный суд по правам человека (находится в г. Страсбург, Франция)
  13. juvenile court - суд по делам несовершеннолетних
  14. administrative tribunal - орган административной юстиции; административный трибунал (ООН)


The lowest court in England and Wales is the Magistrates' Court.

The Magistrates' Court judges minor cases and passes more serious cases to higher courts. In the Magistrates' Court there three magistrates called 'Justices of the Peace’. They are specially trained members of the public.

The more serious cases are heard in the Crown Court by a judgeand a jury. Minor civil cases such as divorce and bankruptcy are dealt with in County courts.

More serious civil cases are heard in the High Court of Justice.

Appeals against decisions from the Crown Court or the High Court go to the Court of Appeal. When a question of law is in doubt the case is passed to the House of Lords. The House of Lords is the highest court of appeal in England and Wales.

In Scotland criminal cases are heard in district courts by members of the public called lay justices. More serious cases go to regional sheriff courtsand are heard by the sheriff and a jury. Appeals go to the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh. Civil cases begin in the sheriff court and may go on appeal to the Court of Session.

Certain cases may be referred to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Some 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. They deal with offenders under seventeen. There are coroners' courts. They 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).

Courts in USA

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