III. Agree or disagree:

1. The highest judicial body of Ukraine – Supreme Court of USSR started since March 11, 1993.

2. The history of the activity of judicial bodies of Ukraine as well as the Supreme Court of Ukraine was a difficult one.

3. Previously the courts carried out functions determined by government but proclamation of the Ukrainian sovereign, legal democratic state has fundamentally changed the status of courts and judges.

4. To reform the judicial system and judicature – is a difficult and slow process particularly taking into account existing problems in the state.

5. The Supreme Court of Ukraine is the highest judicial body in the system of general courts and on this basis abolishes by its activity the law, right and justice prevalence in the society.

6. The Supreme Court of Ukraine consists of the Chairman, three Deputies of the Chairman, members of the Supreme Court and assessors.

7. The Constitution of Ukraine restricts the number of judges in the Supreme Court.

8. According to the list, the Supreme Court of Ukraine comprises now 86 judges.

9. The Chairman of the Court and his deputies are elected to office by Plenary of the Supreme Court of Ukraine from among its judges for a five-year term by direct vote.

10. Presidency of the Supreme Court of Ukraine approves: the first Deputy from among deputies of the Chairman of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, and heads of Judicial Collegium from among deputies of the Chairman or members of the SCU.

IV. Answer the questions:

1. When was the Supreme Court of Ukraine formed?

2. What does the Supreme Court of Ukraine provide by its activity?

3. Who does the Supreme Court of Ukraine consist of?

4. Who permanently elects judges to the Supreme Court of Ukraine?

5. What positions does the presidency of the Supreme Court of Ukraine approve?

How many languages must a judge know?

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

priority – пріоритет, entire – увесь, equality – рівність, transparency – прозорість, comprehensive – обов’язковий, validity – чинність, законність, the assembly of judges – асамблея суддів, reappointment – повторне призначення, possesses – володіти, мати, except for scholarly, instructional, and creative work – крім наукової, викладацької та творчої роботи

II. Read the text and translate the text.

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is the sole body of constitutional jurisdiction in Ukraine; it guarantees the priority of the Constitution of Ukraine as the Main Law of the state on its entire territory.

The activity of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine is based on the principles of legality, independence, collegiality, the equality of the judges, transparency and a full, comprehensive study of every case and validity of its decisions.

The jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine includes:

1) the resolution of laws and other legal acts of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; acts of the President of Ukraine; acts of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine; legal acts of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

2) the official interpretation of the Constitution of Ukraine and laws of Ukraine.

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine consists of eighteen justices, six of them being appointed by The President of Ukraine (after consultations with the Prime-Minister and Minister of Justice of Ukraine), six – by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and six – by the assembly of judges of Ukraine. The justices are appointed for nine years with no right to reappointment.

A justice of the Constitutional Court must be a citizen of Ukraine who upon the date of appointment is at least forty years old, possesses a higher legal education and at least ten years professional (practical, scientific or teaching) experience, has resided in Ukraine for the last twenty years, and is fluent in the state language. The justices of the Constitutional Court, like the judges of the courts of general jurisdiction, may not belong to political parties and trade unions, shall not participate in any political activity, shall not have a representative mandate, may not hold any other paid position, or perform other paid work except for scholarly, instructional, and creative.