Exercise 7

A) Work in pairs. Ask and answer the questions in Exercise 2.

B) Collect all answers in one text. Mind that the information in boxes can be processed to make shorter answers.

Development Exercise 8

A day in the life of a judge

(abridged from http://www.judiciary.gov.uk)

The following are some brief notes written by some judges about their typical day of life. Prepare dialogues: first you interview your partner (cicuit judge); then your partner interviews you (Lord Justice of Appeals) You are free to add more information if you find it necessary

Circuit judge

A day in court can be very tough but rewarding. Circuit judges usually live locally to their courts and I am usually at my court by about 9am. I often receive the papers for my cases the night before and sometimes on the day itself, so when I arrive at court there is much to be done.

I sit in all three jurisdictions - civil, criminal and family, but usually the court day is restricted to one of them. Civil cases often take long time to make a judgment. I always find the hearings fascinating - not only because they involve interesting points of law but also can include expert evidence which I can find very instructive and educational.

If I am sitting in family work I will normally be concerned with welfare issues for children, deciding with whom a child should reside and how much contact that child should have with the absent parent.

In crime the judge can rely on the jury to reach the factual conclusions but has an important role in the trial and the responsibility for sentence. Most of my work is in the Crown Court and I especially enjoy presiding over the trial process. I must keep the jury informed. I have to make the witnesses give sufficient facts, and defendants disclose true picture.

By the end of a court day - usually about 4.30pm - I can feel quite exhausted and there may still be other paperwork and preparation to do. However, I have never had a day in my many years of sitting when I have ever regretted becoming a judge - and the next morning I am ready and willing for another court day.

Lord Justice of Appeal writes...

It is true of judges at most levels, and certainly those in the Court of Appeal, that far more work has to be done out of court than in court.

In order to ensure effective use of court time, the papers for every case have to be read in advance; and many cases at this level are of such complexity or importance that time has to be taken in considering the submissions and preparing a written judgment after the hearing rather than delivering an immediate oral judgment.

In addition to the work of judging individual cases, most members of the Court of Appeal have additional responsibilities within the Court of Appeal or within the wider court system or on other bodies related to the justice system.

On days when a judge is sitting in court, cases are generally listed for hearing between 10.30am and 4.15pm, with a break for lunch between 1.00pm and 2.00pm, though the judge sometimes sits earlier in order to hand down a written judgment or to hear a short application.

Additional preparation and judgment writing, together with meetings and other work commitments, have to be arranged. It is frequently necessary to work at evenings and weekends in order to get everything done.

The year is divided in terms during which an appellate judge has some three weeks each. In a term of 12 weeks a judge who covers the full range of work might expect to have two periods in the Civil Division, one in the Criminal Division and one in the Divisional Court.

The work itself is varied and interesting, and sometimes very challenging. Most of the cases raise issues of law, but many are also of very real human interest. It is striking how often one reads reports of them in the newspapers or sees news items about them on television.