UNIT 5
WHO IS WHO IN THE LAW
Find answers to the following questions making use of the vocabulary below:
What officials will the accused contact?
Who is the first to investigate the crime?
Who decides if the accused is guilty or innocent?
Who passes the sentence?
Are there different kinds of lawyers in Ukraine? If so, what are the differences?
Can you describe the way that lawyers become qualified to practice law in your country?
a lawyer – адвокат
to investigate – розслідувати
to contact – контактувати
an official – службовець, чиновник
to pass the sentence – виносити вирок
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The process of criminal justice begins when the police arrest a suspect. Then in case if policemen have enough evidence to prosecute they send the suspect for trial. In serious cases this decision is made by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is a senior law official. If a person is prosecuted for a crime in Britain, he or she may meet the following people during his (her) process through the courts: solicitors, barristers, magistrates, judges, jurors. Solicitors A solicitor is a lawyer who deals with petty crimes, prepares the case, advices the accused and may represent the client in a Magistrates' Court. When somebody gets into trouble or is arrested, the first person he or she needs to see is a solicitor. Solicitors prepare cases of their clients for barristers, who, in turn, represent the accused in the higher court, if the case goes there. Also solicitors deal with the civil matters such as divorces, buying houses, making wills, or some other cases. To become a solicitor a young man or a woman works as a clerk for some period of time for a solicitor and at the same time studies for the exams. It should be noted that it is not necessary for him to go to the university. When he or she passed all necessary exams, they become solicitors and can open his or her own business. In England one can see the notice on the door of the office "Mr. Smith, Solicitor, LLB". Barristers Barristers are lawyers who deal with the interpretation of the Law. A barrister is trained in the law and in the skills required to argue a case in court. Barristers specialize in representing the accused in the higher court. They are required to help clients in really serious cases, for example, to defend the accused for a crime for which the criminal may be sent to prison. There are barristers for the defence and the prosecuting barristers. The barrister for the defence is usually opposed by an opposite member - the prosecuting barrister, who represents the State. The barristers of the highest level have the title QC (Queen's Council). Only high level barristers can become judges in court. A barrister must pass the special legal exams and become a member of legal corporation called "Inn of Courts". Barristers are either "juniors" or King's (Queen's). Magistrates Magistrates are unpaid judges. They are ordinary citizens and selected from well-respected people. They have no legal qualification as judges, magistrates are chosen from people of all social classes and a great variety of professions. They have sound common sense. Magistrates' Courts are the lowest courts that deal with not serious crimes such as a case of driving too fast, etc. Judges Judges are trained lawyers, nearly always ex-barristers. They deal with the most serious crimes, such as a bank robbery, a burglary, a murder, and so on. They are paid salaries by the State and have legal training. The judge rules on points of law and makes sure that the trial is conducted properly. The judge doesn't decide if the accused is guilty or innocent. That is the jury's job. But only the judge can pass the sentence. Judges work in the Crown Court. Jurors A jury consists of twelve men and women, chosen from ordinary people in local community. They sit in the Crown Court with a judge and listen to the evidence for the defence and prosecution and decide whether the accused is guilty or innocent. In Britain a person is not guilty unless found guilty. The jurors attain a verdict, and only when the verdict is in the sentence is passed by the judge. |
Active vocabulary:
a magistrate – магістрат, посадова особа у місцевих органах влади
a magistrates’ court – суд магістратів (розглядає справи про дрібні злочини)
a solicitor – соліситор, стряпчий, юрист, консультуючий клієнтів, має право виступати у нижчих судах, готує справи для баристера
а barrister – баристер, адвокат, який має право виступати у вищих судах, може виступати у якості захисника або обвинувача
a barrister for the defence – захисник
the prosecuting barrister – обвинувач
a jury – колегія (склад) присяжних
a jury box – лава присяжних
a juror – присяжний засідатель, член колегії присяжних
juristic – юридичний
a civil matter – цивільна справа
a divorce – розлучення
a will – заповіт
an inheritance – спадщина
a property – власність
the Director of Public Prosecution – директор державного обвинувачення (головний прокурор, виступає як обвинувач з усіх важливих справ)
in turn – в свою чергу
to pay a fine – заплатити штраф
to get into trouble – потрапити у біду
in case of – у випадку
a notice – вивіска
Inn of Courts – «Судові інни» (чотири корпорації баристерів у Лондоні) користуються винятковим правом прийому в адвокатуру. Існують з ХІV ст., первісно як гільдії, де учні навчалися в досвідчених юристів у ролі підмайстрів; зараз у школах при цих корпораціях готують баристерів.
a common sence – здоровий глузд
to rule on points of law – керуватися буквою закону
Crown Court – суд Корони
Queen’s Council – королівський адвокат. Вище адвокатське звання, присвоюється королівською грамотою по рекомендації лорд канцлера.
1. Make up 10 special questions covering the contents of the text. Use the active vocabulary. Then work in pairs and ask each other the questions you’ve made.
2. Find the answers to the following questions in the text:
When does the process of criminal justice begin?
Who are magistrates and how are they chosen?
What are the functions of a solicitor?
What are the functions of the barrister for the defense?
Whom does the prosecuting-barrister represent?
How many people does the jury consist of?
What must they decide?
What are the duties of the judge?
If the jury finds the accused guilty, who passes the sentence?
When is the accused put into prison?
3. Complete the table using the information from the text:
|
Person |
Role or Job |
1. |
____________________ |
deals with petty crimes |
2. |
____________________ |
attains a verdict |
3. |
a barrister |
____________________ |
4. |
a magistrate |
____________________ |
5. |
____________________ |
deals with the most serious crimes |
4. Match 1 – 10 with a – j to find the words having the similar meaning:
1. |
illegal |
a. |
a supposed criminal |
2. |
a defendant |
b. |
not guilty |
3. |
innocent |
c. |
a lawyer |
4. |
to investigate |
d. |
an accused |
5. |
a jurist |
e. |
a judgment |
6. |
a suspect |
f. |
a testimony |
7. |
to deal with |
g. |
an ownership |
8. |
an evidence |
h. |
to study |
9. |
a property |
i. |
unlawful |
10. |
a verdict |
j. |
to examine |
5. Find the English equivalents to the following words and phrases in the text. Then use them in sentences of your own:
кримінальне судочинство
мати доказ
державне обвинувачення
займатися дрібними злочинами
представляти обвинувача в суді
складання заповіту
аргументувати судовий прецендент
захищати відповідача
керуватися буквою закону
виносити вердикт
6. Match 1 – 10 with a – j to make word combinations from the text. Use them in sentences of your own:
1. |
to arrest |
a. |
the client |
2. |
a senior law |
b. |
the Law |
3. |
a petty |
c. |
judge |
4. |
to represent |
d. |
training |
5. |
to become |
e. |
a suspect |
6. |
the interpretation of |
f. |
sense |
7. |
an unpaid |
g. |
the evidence |
8. |
a common |
h. |
a solicitor |
9. |
a legal |
i. |
crime |
10. |
to listen to |
j. |
official |
7. Match the words (1-7) with the definitions (A-G)
1. |
barrister |
A. |
a person who is under suspicion |
2. |
suspect |
B. |
the stealing of property from a person |
3. |
prosecute |
C. |
not guilty of a particular crime |
4. |
robbery |
D. |
to bring a criminal action against (a person) for some offence |
5. |
innocent |
E. |
a public officer concerned with the administration of law |
6. |
sentence |
F. |
a lawyer who is qualified to plead in the higher courts |
7. |
magistrate |
G. |
the judgment formally pronounced upon a person convicted in criminal proceedings |