Discussion

1) Name differences between barristers and solicitors.

2) Dwell on the functions of the following legal officers: judges, magistrates, coroners.

3) Point out the characteristic features of the legalese and give reasons for the slow pace of modernizing legal language.

4) What is meant by saying: "In most legal systems, conversations between a lawyer and his client are privileged"?

5) Agree or disagree with the statement:

"A lawyer is a gentleman that rescues your estate from your enemies and then keeps it to himself". (Lord Henry P. Brougham)

6) Find out the following information about the judiciary in the Republic of Belarus:

• Are the members of the judiciary appointed from practising lawyers or is there a career judiciary?

• What are the titles of the different classes of the judiciary?

• What procedures are necessary to become a judge?

• Do the same judges hear first instance cases and appeal cases?

• Do the same judges hear civil and criminal cases?

• Describe the practice of alternative dispute resolution in the Republic of Belarus.

UNIT 6

Criminal law

LIST OF WORDS

criminal offence

criminal contempt

criminal negligence

habitual criminal

criminal liability

criminal record

legal consequences

indictable offenses

attempted crime

deliberate killing

premeditated murder

crime of aforethought

killing with intent (premeditation)

petty / minor crime / offence

grave crime

acquittal, to acquit

term of imprisonment

a life sentence / imprisonment

capital crime / punishment

death penalty

compulsed participant in a crime

accessory after (before) the fact

crime difficult to trace

to deter crime

double jeopardy

addiction (an addict)

drug trafficking

loan sharking

to put smb on probation

community service

suspended sentence

release by early parole

to avoid guilt

felony

misdemeanor

actus reus

mens rea

to show evidence

duress

mitigation

malice aforethought

aggravating circumstances

mental incapacity

insanity

negligence

recklessness

malpractice

mercy killing

Ex. 1. Complete the following table.

crime	criminal	verb
murder	—	—
burglary	—	—
shoplifting	—	—
smuggling	—	—
kidnapping	—	—
terrorism	—	—
blackmail	—	—
forgery	—	—
assault	—	—
rape	—	—
arson	—	—
mugging	—	—
pickpocketing	—	—
drug-trafficking	—	—
blackmail	—	—
high-jacking	—	—
drunken driving	—	—
theft	—	—
robbery	—	—

Ex.2. In each group find an odd word and explain your choice.

1. blame — charge — prosecution — accusation

2. injure — hurt — harm — haunt

3. witness — testimony — confession — evidence

4. await — expect — estimate — anticipate

5. trial — inquest — ruling — inquiry

6. atrocity — barbarities — outrage — wickedness

7. legality — lawfulness — liability — validity

8. offence — crime — felony — equity

9. outdated — feeble — obsolete — stale

10. recognize — ostracize — accept — acknowledge

11. custody — testimony — captivity — internment

12. hearing — inquiry — inquest — request

13. persuasive — inductive — hypnotic — convincing

14. tribunal — court of law — court-martial — jailbird

15. appeal — prosecution — defense — custody

16. conclude — terminate — determine — close

17. allege — pronounce — declare — state

18. offence — crime — violation — casualty

19. surveillance — observation — surrender — watch

20. regulation — ordeal — rule — law

Ex. 3. Look through the list of phrases with the word “crime” in A and find their Russian equivalents in B. Make up your own sentences using them.

A	B
1) crime of aforethought	1) мелкое преступление
2) crime wave	2) покушение на совершение преступления
3) attempted crime	3) преступление против всеобщих законов
4) grave crime	4) трудно раскрываемое преступление
5) infamous crime	5) предумышленное преступление
6) latent crime	6) организованная преступность
7) organized crime	7) преступление против собственности
8) petty crime	8) тяжкое преступление
9) crime difficult to trace	9) волна, динамика преступности
10) crime against law of nations	10) позорящее преступление
11) crime against property	11) отказываться от совершения преступления
12) compulsed participant in a crime	12) преступление, караемое смертной казнью
13) desist from crime	13) скрытая преступность
14) capital crime	14) раскрытое преступление
15) confess to a crime	15) потерпевший от преступления
16) crime instrument	16) лицо, подозреваемое в совершении преступления
17) crime investigation	17) обвинять в совершении преступления
18) crime scene	18) вынужденный участник преступления
19) crime suspect	19) признаться в совершении преступления
20) crime victim	20) расследование преступления
21) detected crime	21)преступление, совершенное несовершеннолетним
22) domestic crime	22) военное преступление
23) juvenile crime	23) бытовое преступление
24) war crime	24) орудие преступления
25) charge with crime	25) сдерживать преступность
26) to deter crime	26) место совершения преступления

Ex. 4. Insert prepositions where necessary. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. A military tribunal sentenced the terrorists ___ life imprisonment.

2. He was tried ___ court-martial and found guilty.

3. The appeal ___ the ruling will be heard next month.

4. You should allow six days ___ check clearance.

5. They tried to impose a ban ___ smoking.

6. The Supreme Court has just turned ___ our appeal.

7. Demands were made for the leader of the sect to be barred ___ Britain.

8. We should get papers ___ next Monday if we are lucky.

9. He died ___ detention.

10. She imposed severe discipline ___ her children.

11. Last week the suspect was finally put ___ custody.

Ex.5. Below are the word combinations with the word “violence”. Insert suitable prepositions, and make sentences of your own using the phrases. Translate the phrases into Russian.

1. to resort ___ violence

2. to die ___ violence

3. to do violence ___ a superior

4. to handle smb ___ violence

5. to enter a house ___ violence

6. robbery ___ violence

Ex. 6. Take notice of the difference in the use of the following words:

1. imprisonment — the condition of being (put) in prison;

2. confinement — the condition of being confined in or to a place (e.g. solitary confinement);

3. custody — imprisonment under guard (until trial);

4. house arrest — confinement to one’s home;

5. captivity — the state of being a captive;

6. internment — the act of interning or the period of time during which a person is imprisoned.

Insert one of the above words to suit the situation:

1. His period of ______ was up, he was set free.

2. It has become a custom to raise wild animals in ______.

3. The government was afraid of mass protests if Defoe was imprisoned, so he was put under ______.

4. The “Solidarity” leaders were put in ______ camps.

5. Peter was remanded in ______.

6. The Colonel ordered to keep the Gadfly in solitary ______.

7. His ______ ended last night.

8. His sentence was ______ for five years.

9. The ______ of political prisoners without trial is quite common.

Ex. 7. A criminal is someone who commits a crime. Below are the word combinations with the word “criminal”. Translate them and link each word combination to its definition.

Court of Criminal Appeal, criminal contempt, criminal negligence, criminal court, criminal forfeiture, criminal law, criminal lawyer, criminal procedure, criminal record, habitual criminal, criminal liability, war criminal

1. A barrister or solicitor who specializes in felonies and misdemeanours.

2. A person charged with or convicted of crimes against humanity.

3. Previous crimes of which an individual has been convicted.

4. Rules governing the investigation of crimes; the arrest, charging and trial of accused criminals; and the sentencing of those convicted.

5. One of the higher courts of law hearing cases sent up for review.

6. Disorderly behaviour, disrespect, or disobedience of a judge’s orders, particularly during a trial.

7. A person who repeatedly commits offences.

8. Where an individual fails to exercise a duty of care and the resulting action leads to the commission of a crime.

9. The branch of law which deals with felonies and misdemeanours.

10. Loss of property or a right as a consequence of an offence.

11. A court with jurisdiction to hear felonies and misdemeanours.

12. Responsibility for committing a crime (excluded persons include minors and the insane).

Ex. 8. Match the words with their definitions and learn them.

murder, intention, defence, duress, argue, self-defence, convince, mitigation, protect, violence

1. Actions or words which are intended to hurt people; extreme force.

2. The crime of intentionally killing a person.

3. To show disagreement, esp. strong disagreement, in talking or discussing.

4. Reduction in the severity of some penalty; making or becoming milder, less severe, or less painful; moderate.

5. Threats used to force a person to do something.

6. To keep (someone or something) safe from injury, damage or loss.

7. Protection of yourself, either by fighting or discussion.

8. Determination to do a specified thing or act in a specified way.

9. To make someone certain; to persuade.

10. An argument or explanation which you use to prove that you are not guilty of something.

TEXT 1 Read the text and get ready to discuss it.