- •Е. Н. Пушкина law and justice закон и правосудие
- •603134, Г. Н. Новгород, ул. Костина, 2 "б"
- •Содержание
- •Предисловие
- •Unit 1. Constitution
- •The Concept and History of Constitution
- •British Constitution
- •Британская Конституция
- •Unit 2. Constitution
- •Characteristics of Constitutions
- •The Constitution of the usa
- •Unit 3. Law-Making Process
- •Why Bring Laws In?
- •Types of Bills
- •Unit 4. Law-Making Process
- •Preparatory Stages of a Government Bill
- •Принятие Нового Закона
- •Making New Law
- •Unit 5. Courts and Law
- •Appealing to History...
- •Justice and Law
- •Kinds of Law in the United States
- •1. Constitutional Law
- •2. Statutory Law
- •3. Administrative Law
- •4. Case Law
- •Unit 6. Courts and Law
- •English Courts Today
- •Farewell to the Traditional System of Justice or Just a New Supreme Court?
- •What Is a Court?
- •New Arrangements Require New Titles
- •Unit 7. Legal Profession
- •The Nature of Legal Profession
- •Solicitors and Barristers – See the Difference
- •Lawyers' Work
- •Unit 8. Legal Profession
- •Barristers and Solicitors - Education and Career
- •It's Useful to Know
- •Business Lawyer
- •Unit 9. Legal Profession
- •Merging of the Legal Profession
- •Стирание граней между барристерами и солиситорами
- •Law Office
- •2. Small Law Firms
- •3. Mid-Sized Law Offices
- •4. Large Law Offices
- •Unit 10. Legal Profession
- •Call to Merge 'Two-Tier' Legal System
- •Types of Lawyer Titles
- •Scientific vocabulary Англо-русские обороты научной речи
- •The theme of the research Сообщение о теме и содержании работы
- •Aims and Tasks Цели и задачи работы
- •Methods and Techniques Используемые методы
- •Base Data Исходные моменты
- •Interpretation Интерпретация
- •Characteristic features of the subject of the research Основные признаки и характеристика предмета исследования
- •Comparison and collation Сравнение и сопоставление
- •Correspondence and divergence Соответствия и расхождения
- •Connection; cause-and-effect relationship Связь, зависимость, влияние
- •Results Результаты исследования
- •Conclusions Выводы. Заключения
- •Evaluation Оценка
- •Application Область применения
- •Specific features of legal texts Особенности юридической речи
- •Media discourse
Justice and Law
Although Britain is a unitary state, it does not have a single system of law. England and Wales and Northern Ireland have similar systems, but the Scottish system is somewhat different. In general, however, the law has no complete code. Its sources include parliamentary legislation, European Community law and much «common» law from courts' decisions and elsewhere. Criminal law is concerned with wrongs against the community as a whole, civil law with the rights and duties of individuals among themselves.
Keeping the peace and bringing offenders to trial are primarily the concern of the police whose action depends on common consent since the number of officers is small in relation to the population (roughly one to every 400 people). The police are not normally armed and their powers are carefully limited. Strict procedures govern the way complaints against the police are handled. Special efforts are being made to improve relations between the police and community, especially in inner city areas.
The police service consists of independent local forces, usually linked with local government, and each responsible for its own area.
Most prosecutions are initiated by the police, but in Scotland the police make the preliminary investigations, and a public prosecutor decides whether or not to prosecute. As soon as anyone is arrested, he or she must be charged and brought to court with the minimum of delay. Unless the case is serious, the arrested person is usually granted bail if he or she cannot quickly be brought to court.
Compensation may be paid to victims of violent crime and people hurt while trying to prevent offences. Judges are independent and non-political and, except for law magistrates who try less serious criminal cases, are appointed from practicing barristers, advocates or solicitors.
Criminal trials take place in open court although there are some restrictions, such as those to protect children. The more serious cases take place before a jury of ordinary, independent citizens who decide on guilt or innocence. People accused of crimes are presumed innocent until proved guilty, and every possible step is taken to deny the prosecution any advantage over the defence.
Cases involving children are heard in special juvenile courts, or, in Scotland, at informal children's hearings.
Other than in cases of murder, for which the sentence is life imprisonment, courts can choose the penalty most appropriate for a particular offender.
The legal profession has two branches: solicitors and barristers (advocates in Scotland). Solicitors undertake legal business for lay clients, while barristers advise on problems submitted through solicitors and present cases in the higher courts.
People with little money are given help to meet the costs of legal advice and court proceedings.
Task 5. Give answers to the following questions on the text.
Does the UK have a single system of law?
What do the sources of the British law code include?
What is criminal law concerned with?
What is the jurisdiction of civil law?
What body is responsible for keeping order and bringing offenders to court?
How does the police service operate?
What measures are taken in case the arrested person cannot quickly be brought to court?
What legal professions are judges appointed from?
What court are criminal cases heard in?
When are cases tried by the jury?
How are the rights of the defendant protected by law?
Where are cases involving children heard?
With what exception are courts free to choose a penalty for the offender?
What is the usual word for barristers in Scotland?
Does the state help low income people to cover the legal expenses?
Task 6. Read the text given below and answer the following questions:
What are the peculiarities of the US legal system?
What is the US law comprised of?
In what case is a state law considered to be void?
What powers are federal and state constitutions allocated by?
What document are the basic rights of citizens included in?
Why is the system of checks and balances used in the allocation of governmental powers?
What bodies are new statutes enacted by?
What legislative authority is given to local governments by state legislatures?
What type of legislation is called an ordinance?
What requirement must be met by the statute or ordinance in order to be valid?
What is the legal status of the rules and regulations enacted by administrative agencies?
Under what condition may the courts invalidate a rule or regulation?
What bodies is case law created by?
How is new case law created?
What bodies are the final authority on the constitutionality of statutes, rules and ordinances?
Can legislative bodies nullify a court decision, abolish the statute or amend the constitution?