Unit 5. Legal System in the usa. Legal Aid and Advice

Task 1. Read the text below and decide which word is best for each space.

American Legal Profession

The American 0) …C… profession, like American law, has its roots in England, but with significant differences. In England, the legal profession is divided between office lawyers, known as 1) ………, and courtroom lawyers known as 2) ……….

In the United States, there is no division of the profession, and a lawyer frequently does both office work and courtroom work. There is, however, a great deal of variety in the types of work done by lawyers.

Attorney

Depending upon the circumstances and the needs of the client, the lawyer may be a counselor, a negotiator, and/or a litigator. In each of these roles, the lawyer will need to 3) ……… in factual investigation.

With respect to each of these roles, the lawyer will do the following:

Counselor: Attorney will help to advise the client how to order his/her 4) ……….

Negotiator: Lawyer will work with the opposing counsel to try to get a 5) ……… resolution for the client. The 6) ……… of negotiations involves many techniques individual to particular attorneys and the circumstances. The client always 7) ……… the right to accept or reject a settlement negotiated or offered by the opposing party.

Litigator: In litigating, the attorney will help pick a jury and participate in pre-trial 8) ……….

Fact Investigator: All of the lawyer’s roles require the investigation of 9) ……… facts, including 10) ……… and interviewing witnesses.

A lawyer is to be a zealous advocate of the client, in this respect the lawyer must 11) ……… on the client’s behalf and avoid conflicts of interest. The lawyer is also an officer of the court and is required to deal fairly and honestly with the court and with its other offices, including the lawyer’s opponents.

Judge

The judge is the final arbiter of the law. The judge is 12) ……… with the duty to state, as a positive matter, what the law is. In addition, the judge is to 13) ……… order in the courtroom.

Judges in federal courts are appointed by the President with the “advice and 14) ………” of the Senate. Many state court judges are elected by popular vote.

Jury

The jury, a group of local citizens, is the fact-finder in most trials. The jury will receive instructions from the judge as to the law, and its members will 15) ……… the facts as they perceive them in 16) ……… of the law, as instructed, to 17) ……… a verdict.

0	A	lawful	B	judicial	C	legal	D	juridical
1	A	solicitors	B	barristers	C	clerks	D	recorders
2	A	solicitors	B	plaintiffs	C	clerks	D	barristers
3	A	conduct	B	engage	C	involve	D	pursue
4	A	issues	B	affairs	C	claims	D	trial
5	A	positive	B	profitable	C	favourable	D	advantageous
6	A	mastery	B	art	C	science	D	ability
7	A	saves	B	holds	C	retains	D	keeps
8	A	motions	B	claims	C	actions	D	rulings
9	A	appropriate	B	corresponding	C	closely connected	D	relevant
10	A	locating	B	discovering	C	finding	D	placing
11	A	support	B	defend	C	speak	D	advocate
12	A	responsible	B	empowered	C	charged	D	authorised
13	A	maintain	B	put	C	observe	D	keep
14	A	approval	B	consent	C	order	D	agreement
15	A	appraise	B	evaluate	C	estimate	D	assess
16	A	view	B	light	C	regard	D	judgement
17	A	return	B	bring	C	make	D	issue

Task 2. Solve the crossword puzzle using the words you have learnt from the texts “A Legal System Run Amok” and “Too Young to Vote, Old Enough to be Executed” of Unit 5 of the main course.

Across

4. treat unfairly by withholding something of value

6. carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person

11. temporary prohibition of an activity

14. a proceeding in a court of law brought by one party against another

15. inflict

16. compel observance of or compliance with (a law or a rule)

Down

1. having or characterized by a fundamental weakness or imperfection

2. deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular nation or ethnic group

3. convict or sentence

5. utterly odious or wicked

7. setting or background for a scene, event, or situation

8. a state that conducts its policy in a dangerously unpredictable way, disregarding international law or diplomacy

9. the process of fighting or defending a case in a civil court of law

10. a person who brings a case against another in a court of law

12. openly disregard

13. behave uncontrollably and disruptively