EX.42. a) Scan the text and entitle it

Commercial courts are independent. The new commercial courts started operation in April 1992.

The basic level of commercial courts comprises “commercial courts of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation”, that is commercial courts of the republics, regions, cities with federal status, and autonomous regions. There are 81 such courts. These courts handle cases as the first instance court.

Appeals against the decisions of the first instance court are handled* by appellate courts**. Now there are 20 appellate courts which review the legality and groundfulness of the decisions of the first instance court.

The third level courts are the Federal Territorial Commercial Courts. There are 10 such courts which handle cases as an instance of cassation*** in relation to the courts within the jurisdiction.

The highest level of commercial court is the Supreme Commercial Court of the Russian Federation. The Supreme Commercial Court comprises the Plenum, the Presidium, the Department of Civil Cases, and the Department of Administrative Cases.

The most important functions of the Plenum is to issue decisions addressed to lower courts. The Presidium reviews cases by way of supervision.

*to handle appeals рассматривать апелляции

**appellate court апелляционный суд

***an instance of cassation кассационная инстанция

c) Look at the diagram and describe the commercial courts. Use the words:

to consist of; to handle cases (appeals); court of first instance; appellate courts; to review; an instance of cassation; lower courts; by way of supervision