IV. Problem solving

1. In some districts of America it is the judge who selects the foreperson¹ of the jury. In other districts the jurors elect their foreperson. There are districts in the USA where the first juror to enter the jury becomes the foreperson automatically. In Russia the foreperson is the one who presides over the jury’s deliberations and gives every juror a fair opportunity to express his or her views. The foreperson is elected by the jurors. Pretend to be a juror. You must elect the foreperson. Look through the list given below and say which of the personal qualities a foreperson must possess. Explain your choice.

Note:

foreperson – старшина присяжных

Accurate optimistic

ambitious

organized

analytical

persuasive

autonomous

pleasant

calm under pressure

polite

cautious

possess a good sense of humor

cheerful

possess common sense

practical

process-oriented

cooperative

productive

conservative

professional

creative

punctual

curious

a quick learner

dependable

rational

decisive

reliable

detailed-oriented

realistic

diplomatic

respectful

disciplined

results-oriented

dynamic

responsible

energetic

self-motivated

enthusiastic

tactful

ethical

take initiative

fair

team-oriented

flexible

thoughtful

friendly

tolerant

hard-working

willing to take risks

helpful

honest

independent

intelligent

loyal

motivated

open-minded

2. When the name of an American citizen is selected at random from voter registration and driver’s license, he or she must answer to the juror questionnaire. A juror qualification form helps to determine if she or he is qualified to serve as a juror. Below you can see the examples of such questions; answer them.

1. How do you feel about individuals who bring lawsuits for personal injuries? 2. If you thought you were injured because of the fault of someone else, would you consider bringing a lawsuit? Yes/No (If no, please explain). 3. Have you ever considered bringing a lawsuit or claim, or felt like you had a good reason to sue, but decided not to? Yes/No (If yes, please explain). 4. Are there any kinds of lawsuits which you think are unfair or unjust and should not be brought to court? (If yes, will you give us examples of the kind of lawsuits you disagree with). 5. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the legal system in the way it treats someone who has brought a lawsuit? 6. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the legal system in the way it treats someone who has been sued? 7. Do you agree or disagree with the statement: “Juries can be trusted to make fair awards in personal injury cases”?

LISTENING

1. Us Court System

1. Read and memorize the following words and word combinations:

violation – нарушение: It was decided that there had been no violation of the rules.

claim – тяжба, иск: After the house was burgled, she made a claim on her insurance company.

tax – налог: They’re putting up the tax on automobiles.

probate – утверждение завещания: After his death the probate court heard the claims on the will.

ambassador – посол: She was appointed ambassador to Britain three months ago.

re-examine – пересматривать: The council is to re-examine ways of reducing traffic in the city centre.

ruling – постановление, решение: The court’s final ruling was that the companies had acted illegally.

2. Listen and remember as many types of US Courts as you can.

3. Choose the sentences corresponding to the text:

1. Federal courts try cases involving the United States government. 2. Not all the states have federal district courts. 3. State courts receive their power from state constitutions and laws. 4. Higher state courts are known as local courts. 5. The highest court in the nation is the United States Supreme Court.

4. Listen again and answer the following questions:

1. What do federal courts deal with? 2. How many areas is the United States divided into? 3. The federal court system includes special courts, doesn’t it? 4. What are higher state courts known as? 5. What is the highest court in the nation? 6. Is there any way to change a Supreme Court ruling on the Constitution?