Unit IV legal systems Before you start

Core vocabulary 1

legal system – правовая система

binding – обязательный к исполнению; обязывающий

bind (bound, bound) – обязать

common law – общее право; англо-саксонское право

religious law – религиозно-правовая система

civil law – романо-германское право; континентальное право

interpret law – толковать закон

enforce law – обеспечивать соблюдение закона

apply law – применять закон

CONCEPT

Legal system is defined as a system of binding principles used to interpret, enforce and apply laws while prosecuting offenders in criminal cases or imposing liability in civil cases, and deciding cases in the course of court hearing.

In general, legal systems around the world can be split between civil law jurisdictions, on the one hand, and systems using common law, on the other.

The term civil law, referring to a legal system, should not be confused with civil law as a group of legal subjects, as distinguished from criminal law or public law. A third type of legal system — still accepted by some countries in part, or even in whole — is religious law, based on scriptures and interpretations.

The specific system that a country follows is often determined by its history, its connection with countries abroad, and its adherence to international standards. The sources that jurisdictions recognize as binding are the defining features of legal systems.

scriptures – священные книги

adherence to international standards – приверженность международным нормам

1. Highlight all words and word combinations from

Core Vocabulary 1.

2. Check if the text provides the following information:

- the definition of a legal system;

- the major legal systems;

- the main distinguishing feature of a legal system

Core vocabulary 2

provision - положение

origin – происхождение

emerge from – возникнуть (из)

Corpus Juris Civilis – [‘korpəs ‘dʒuris sivilis] – Body of Civil Law – свод законов гражданского права

Emperor Justinian [‘empərə dʒ^stiniən] – император ЮстинианHenry II – [henri ðə sekond]

source of law – источник права

code - кодекс

codify – кодифицировать, внести в кодекс

precedent – прецедент, решение суда по конкретному делу, имеющее силу источника права

stare decisis [‘stεərə di’saisis] – доктрина судебного прецедента «стой на решенном» - обязывающая сила прецедента

judgment – решение судьи

binding court decision / ruling – обязывающее решение суда

legal rule – правовая норма

Connectors

Both … and … - и…. и…..

However – Однако /Тем не менее

While ……- притом, что …

Whereas … - между тем ….

Similarly – сходным образом

Unlike – в отличии от

Thus – таким образом

Though - хотя

Consequently - соответственно

By contrast – напротив, в противоположность этому

Nevertheless – все же, тем не менее

Civil Law is usually compared with Common Law under certain provisions.

Both civil law and common law have their historical origins.

However, while common law developed from custom – the customary way to decide cases, civil law emerged from Roman codified law.

The founder of civil law was Emperor Justinian who created the famous Corpus Juris Civilis – codified legal principles.

Similarly, the founder of common law is considered to be Henry II who introduced the system of “common law” – unified system of precedential higher court rulings common throughout the country.

Each legal system uses particular sources of law.

Unlike common law where binding higher court decisions, or precedents, form a primary source of law, civil law applies codes and statutes referring to previous case decisions as to secondary sources. Thus, we can say that civil law is codified whereas common law is precedential, though constitution and codes are also included into the category of its primary sources.

Consequently, the basic principle for civil law judges is the application of a relevant provision of the code. By contrast, the basic principle for the common law court is “stare decisis” – or “stand by the decision”.

To make a decision the judges in common law courts interpret the binding rulings and even legislate (create a decision where there isn’t any appropriate precedent), while civil law judges apply the code provisions. Nevertheless, the court decisions in common law are also based in large part on legal rules and statutes, which the judges are supposed to apply and interpret in much the same way as the civil law judges do (e.g. the Sale of Goods Act 1979, the Uniform Commercial Code).

1. Highlight all words and word combinations from

Core Vocabulary 1.

2. Check if the text provides the information required to complete the table in Exercise 2 below