18 Years.

The Crown Court. The Crown Court is the senior court of trial for

criminal offences. The courts are established at various centres throughout

the country. The courts are presided over by either a High Court Judge,

Circuit Judge or Recorder who sits with a jury. The Crown Court for

the City of London is the Central Criminal Court, also known as the

Old Bailey.

The Crown Court may also hear appeals against conviction and/or

sentence for some offences dealt with at the Magistrates Court.

The Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal hears appeals from

criminal cases heard in the Crown Courts.

The House of Lords. The House of Lords is the most senior and

final court of appeal.

Civil Proceedings. Civil proceedings consist of litigation about

property, family matters and actions to obtain financial redress for

damage to property and personal injury. The courts of trial for such

litigation are the County Court and the High Court of Justice.

44

County Courts are local courts and are presided over by a single Judge.

The High Court of Justice is situated in London. Some cases before the

High Court of Justice may be heard before a jury.

Word list

Judiciary судочинство

court of trial суд першо¿ ³нстанц³¿

court of appeal апеляц³йний суд

the Magistrates Court Маг³стратський суд

the Crown Court Корол³вський суд

juvenile court суд у справах неповнол³тн³х

summary offence злочин, який не становить велико¿ сусп³льно¿

небезпеки

indictable offence особливо тяжкий злочин

jury суд присяжних

penalty покарання; стягнення; штраф

convicted увязнений, вязень

prosecution судовий розгляд

judge суддя

to sentence for smth. засуджувати за щось; виносити вирок

litigation тяжба, сп³р

to obtain financial redress for smth. одержати ф³нансове в³дшко-

дування за щось

injury образа, кривда

Exercise 1

Fill in the blanks.

1. There are two courts of ... and two courts of ... for criminal

proceedings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

2. The Magistrates Court deals with ... .

3. More serious offences go to the ... .

4. Magistrates Courts have limited powers of ... .

5. Magistrates Courts may commit ... to the Crown Court.

6. Approximately 95% of all ... are dealt with in the Magistrates

Court.

7. ... courts try most charges against children and young persons

under the age of 18 years.

8. The Crown Court is the senior court of trial for ... ... .

9. The Crown Court may hear ... against conviction and/or ... for

some offences dealt with at the Magistrates Court.

45

46

10. The Court of ... hears appeals from criminal cases heard in the

Crown Court.

11. The House of Lords is the most senior and final ... ... .

12. Civil proceedings consist of ... about property, family matters and

actions to obtain ... for damage to property and personal injury.

13. County Courts are ... over by a single Judge.

14. Some cases before the High Court of Justice may be heard

before ... .

Exercise 2

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

1. The courts of trial are the Magistrates Court and the Crown

Court.

2. The courts of appeal are the Court of Appeal and the House of

Lords.

3. The Magistrates Court is the senior court of trial.

4. The Magistrates Court deals with summary offences.

5. More serious offences are committed to the Crown Court.

6. Juvenile Courts try charges against convicted offenders.

7. Juvenile Courts try most charges against children and persons

under the age of 18 years.

8. The Crown Court is the lower court of trial.

9. The Court of Appeal hears appeals from criminal cases heard in

the Crown Courts.

10. The House of Lords is the most senior and final court of appeal.

11. Criminal proceedings consist of litigation about property, family

matters and actions to obtain financial redress for damage to

property and personal injury.

12. County Courts are local courts and are presided over by a jury.

Exercise 3

Find words and expressions in the text which mean:

1. the system of law courts in a country;

2. place where law-cases are held;

3. person against whom a legal action is brought;

4. punishment for wrongdoing;

5. court where children are tried;

6. crime breaking of a rule.

Exercise 4

Ask questions to get the following answers.

1. There are two courts of trial and two courts of appeal for crimi-

nal proceedings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

2. The courts of trial are the Magistrates Court and the Crown Court.

3. The courts of appeal are the Court of Appeal and the House of

Lords.

4. The Magistrates Court deals with summary offences.

5. The Crown Court deals with indictable offences.

6. Magistrates Courts have limited powers of penalty.

7. Approximately 95% of all prosecutions are dealt with in the

Magistrates Courts.

8. Juvenile Courts try most charges against children and young

persons under the age of 18 years.

Exercise 5

Answer the following questions.

1. What courts are there in England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

2. What offences does the Magistrates Court deal with?

3. Where must the most serious offences be committed to?

4. What charges do Juvenile Courts try?

5. What court is the senior court of trial for criminal offences?

6. What is the most senior and final court of appeal?

7. What do civil proceedings consist of?

8. Where is the High Court of Justice situated?

Exercise 6

Complete the following sentences by translating the words and

expressions in brackets.

1. All criminal cases start in the (Маг³стратському суд³).

2. More serious criminal cases then go to (Корол³вський суд).

3. Civil cases are dealt with in (судах графств).

4. Appeals are heard by (апеляц³йними судами).

5. The highest court of appeal in England and Wales is (Палата

ëîðä³â).

6. The legal system also includes (суди у справах неповнол³тн³х)

which deal with offenders under seventeen.

47

Exercise 7

Work in pairs. Discuss the following.

− What courts do you think would deal with:

a) careless driving?

b) a divorce case?

c) a shoplifting committed by a schoolboy?

d) an assault causing actual bodily harm?

e) a murder of a child?

Use the following expressions.

− I am sure that ... .

− I am certain that ... .

− There is no doubt

− I am not sure ... .

− I cant say for sure ... .

− I agree with you ... .

− I cant agree with you.

Exercise 8

Read the text and translate it into Ukrainian.

THE COURT SYSTEM OF ENGLAND AND WALES

The most common type of law court in England and Wales is the

magistrates court. There are 700 magistrates courts and about 30,000

magistrates.

More serious criminal cases then go to the Crown Court which has