Task 1. Read the text to answer the questions.

The Court system of the UK

Nowadays courts can be created only by act of Parliament. Courts may be classified in a number of ways, for example, superior and inferior courts*. The most usual difference is, however, between criminal and civil courts.

In criminal cases the courts which are the first to hear cases are the magistrates’ courts* and the Crown Court* (for more serious cases). The Court of Appeal* in London has a Criminal Division and a Civil Division. It hears appeals in criminal cases from the Crown Court, and in civil cases, from the county courts and the High Court. The highest court of Appeal in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is the House of Lords (Scotland has its own High Court).

Magistrates’ Courts

A magistrates’ court usually consists of a “bench” of three lay, unpaid magistrates known as justices of the peace ‘JP’s*. There are nearly 28,000 lay magistrates serving some 450 courts.

Usually those charged with criminal offences first appear in a magistrates’ court. The less serious offences are tried by the magistrates themselves. The most serious offences, such as murder, manslaughter, rape and robbery, are tried on indictment* (or formal accusation) only by the Crown Court. Usually those charged with such offences first appeal before a magistrates’ court, which decides whether to commit them to the Crown Court for trial.

Youth courts

Cases involving people under 18 are heard in youth courts* (formerly juvenile courts). These are special magistrates’ courts. There are restrictions on public access and media coverage.

The Crown court

The Crown Court sits at about 90 centres and is presided over by High Court judges, full-time ‘circuit judges’* and part-time recorders*. England and Wales are divided into six circuits for the purpose of hearing criminal cases.

The Crown Court tries the most serious offences. All contested cases are presided over by a judge sitting with a jury.

The High Court deals with the more complicated civil cases (it also cover some criminal cases) as well as dealing with appeals from tribunals and from magistrates’ courts in both civil and criminal matters. It has several divisions, such as the Family division dealing with the family problems or the Chancery Division dealing with wills, administration of property, etc.

Vocabulary notes

superior courts суды высшей инстанции

inferior courts суды низшей инстанции

Magistrates’ courts магистратские, мировые суды

the Crown Court Суд Короны

the Court of Appeal Апелляционный суд

Justices of the peace (JP’s) мировые судьи

indictment обвинительный акт

Youth, juvenile courts суды по делам несовершеннолетних

circuit judges судьи окружного суда

recorder рекордер (мировой судья с юрисдикцией по

по уголовным и гражданским делам)

Task 2. Answer the questions

1. How can we classify the courts in the UK?

2. What is the function of the House of Lords?

3. Where are the less serious offences tried?

4. What offences are tried by the Crown Court?

5. What divisions does the High Court have?

Task 3. Draw a diagram of the court system in the UK.

Task 1. Read and translate the text.

Courts in the United States

Courts in the United States, judicial organs of government, comprising two principal systems: the federal courts, referred to as United States courts, and the state courts. The federal courts were provided for in the Constitution of the United States on the theory that the judicial power of the federal government could not be entrusted to the states, which was necessary for a strong national government. Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789, organizing the Supreme Court of the United States and establishing system of federal courts of inferior jurisdiction.

Federal Courts

The courts established under the power granted by the US Constitution are known as constitutional courts. Judges of constitutional courts are appointed for life by the President with the approval of the Senate. They are the district courts, the courts of appeals (before 1948, circuit courts of appeals) and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest appellate tribunal in the country and is a court of original jurisdiction in some cases. The Supreme Court is also the final judicial arbiter of federal constitutional question.

Other federal courts are called legislative courts. These are the Claims Court, the Court of International Trade, the Tax Court and the territorial courts established in the federally administered territories of the United States.

State Courts

Each state has an independent system of courts operating under the constitution and laws of the state. The character and names of the courts differ from state to state. The state courts as a whole have general jurisdiction, except in cases in which exclusive jurisdiction has been vested in the federal courts.

Vocabulary notes

entrust вверять

inferior jurisdiction нижестоящая юрисдикция

final judicial arbiter третейский судья

the Claims Courts суд тяжб

the Tax Court налоговый суд