VII. Match the following:

judge	a)a lawyer appointed by the President, in each judicial district, to prosecute cases for the federal government
jurisdiction	b)the law as laid down in the decisions of the courts
trial jury	c)an agency of government authorized to resolve legal disputes
U.S. Attorney	d) a government official with authority to preside over and decide lawsuit brought to courts
case law	e) the legal authority of a court to hear and decide a certain type of case
court	f)a group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both side at trial and determine the facts in dispute

VIII. Read the following sentences and decide if they are true or false.

1. The structure of state courts varies from state to state.

2. Each state has at least one district court.

3. District courts handle both civil and criminal cases.

4. There are forty-nine district courts in the court system of the USA

5. All cases resolved in the district courts can be appealed to one of the federal circuit courts.

6. Each case in the district courts is tried by three judges.

7. Federal courts are organized in two tiers: district courts and courts of appeals.

8. All federal judges are appointed for eight years by the President.

9. The US Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the United States.

10. The US Supreme Court includes a Chief justice and six associate justices.

IX. Answer the questions.

1. What kinds of courts are there in the USA?

2. What disputes do state courts decide?

3. How many federal judicial districts are there in the country?

4. What is the highest federal court in the USA?

5. What cases does the Supreme Court hear?

6. What cases are heard by federal courts?

7. What is a trial court?

8. What do the circuit courts do?

9. What cases do the federal courts hear?

The us attorneys

I. Read and translate the text.

The Justice Department is responsible for faithful execution of the laws under the president's authority. The main administrators of federal law enforcement are the ninety-four US attorneys, appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. Unlike federal judges, these appointees serve at the pleasure of the president and are expected to relinquish their positions when the reins of government change hands.

There is a US attorney in each federal judicial district. Their staffs of assistant attorneys vary in size with the amount of litigation in the district. US attorneys have considerable discretion, which makes them powerful political figures in any community. Their decision to prosecute or not affects the wealth, freedom, rights, and reputation of individuals and organizations in the district.

US attorneys are political appointees who often harbour political ambitions. Their position commands media attention and can serve political goals. In 1983 President Reagan appointed Rudolph Giuliani as US attorney for the Southern District of New York (covering a large portion of the New York metropolitan area). Over the next five years, Giuliani notched his briefcase with dozens of successful prosecutions of elected officials, judges, organized crime figures, and Wall Street inside traders. Giuliani's activities generated reels and reams of favourable press coverage, he even appeared on a Newsweek cover. This kind of public exposure can help a US attorney launch a successful career in elected office. As a powerful prosecutor or potential opponent, Giuliani's name must make some politicians shudder.