HOW TO CATCH YOUR MAN

‘Candidates 1 must not attempt more than four questions.’ The young candidate for the law exam was very well-prepared and 2…………….. be told what to do. The results were brilliant. The paper achieved the third highest score out of 7,000 papers! But the examiners were puzzled. Mr. Paul Brett 3………………… achieved such a high score. Then the truth became known. The candidate was not Mr. Paul Brett, as it 4.……………….. been. His wife had gone instead. Mrs. Alison Brett, a brilliant lawyer, had dressed up as a man. The fraud was discovered because an examiner had noticed that the candidate was visibly pregnant!

UNIT 2

THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

LEAD-IN

20 words and expressions in the list below are related to the topic “The Judicial System”. You have two minutes to tick them all.

Chancery Division; Superintendent; Court of Appeal; search; juror; mugger; litigation; bribe; clerk of the court; retaliation; defendant; remuneration; apply the law; deed; issue a summons; feasor; plaintiff; torture; Queen’s Bench Division; juvenile crime; verdict; heir; prosecute; child custody; trial; acid rain; Magistrate; jail; claim; Act of Parliament; adjudication; make getaway; discharge a case; censorship; Recorder; judge; inhabit; Crown Court.

TASK 1

Match the key terms of Unit 2 in ‘Legal English’ to their Russian equivalents.

1. Высокий суд	a. Civil Court
2. Суд по уголовным делам	b. Indictment
3. Суд по гражданским делам	c. Lower Court
4. Мировой судья	d. Commit a crime
5. Обвинительный акт	e. High Court
6. Упрощенно	f. Juvenile Court
7. Суд низшей инстанции	g. Criminal Court
8. Суд по делам несовершеннолетних	h. Summarily
9. Совершать преступление	I. Death sentence
10. Смертный приговор	j. Magistrate

TASK 2

Can you guess the meanings of the words from their definitions? Pick from the variants a or b. Consult the Glossary if necessary. Give yourself 1 point for each correct answer.

1. An official who examines the reasons for a person’s death, especially if it was violent or unexpected - a) court clerk; b) coroner

2. The legal right or duty to care for someone or something, especially a child after his parents have separated or died – a) custody; b) negligence

3. A person in a law case who is accused of having done something illegal - a) defendant; b) plaintiff

4. When you do not give enough care or attention to someone or something - a) carelessness; b) negligence

5. To officially accuse someone of committing a crime in a court of law, or (of a lawyer) to try to prove that a person accused of committing a crime is guilty of that crime – a) prosecute; b) protect

6. Someone who makes a legal complaint against someone else in court - a) defendant; b) plaintiff

7. To use or treat someone or something wrongly or badly, especially in a way that is to your own advantage - a) abuse; b) misuse

8. Lay judicial officer who is appointed to conserve peace, hear and determine charges relating to minor offences (summary offences), sign arrest warrants and search warrants, administer oaths, take statutory declarations and carry out civil functions such as performing marriage ceremonies – a) JP; b) QC

9. A case connected with pattern of abusive behavior by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, friends or cohabitation – a) domestic case; b) internal case

10. A group of people who have been chosen or listen to all the facts in a trial in a law court and to decide whether a person is guilty or not guilty, or whether a claim has been proved – a) parties; b) jury

TASK 3

Some words and phrases in the text below are given in Russian. When you remember their meanings in English you will find out more about the English judicial institutions. The words and phrases in the box will be useful for you.

lower court; legal systems; higher court; binding; supreme lawmaking body; applying; reassessment; make decisions; legal actions; juvenile courts; right of appeal; appellant

In all (правовые системы) there are institutions for creating, modifying, abolishing and (применение) the law. Usually these take the form of a hierarchy of courts. The role of each court and its capacity to (выносить решения) is strictly defined in relation to other courts. There are two main reasons for having a variety of courts, one is that a particular court can specialize in particular kinds of (судебные иски, дела) – for example, family courts and (суды по делам несовершеннолетних). The other is so that a person who feels his case was not fairly treated in a (суд низшей инстанции) can appeal to a (суд высшей инстанции) for (пересмотр) (although the (право на апелляцию) usually depends upon the (податель апелляции) being able to show certain reasons for his dissatisfaction). The decisions of a higher court are (обязательны) upon lower courts. At the top of the hierarchy is a (высший законодательный орган), but the process of taking an action from a lower court to the highest court may be very time-consuming and costly.

TASK 4