Notes to the Text. A person who gives evidence in court

A person who gives evidence in court

Just, fair; not favouring one side more than the other

Closely) connected with what is being discussed, done, etc.

Decision reached by a jury

Make or become less

To be read after Text 4, 5

Judges

Judge is a public officer with authority to hear and decide cases in a law court. In the British system of law judges are chosen from lawyers who have gained considerable experience as legal practitio­ners before being appointed to the judiciary.

Judges must be independent of the parties to a dispute (this en­sures a fair and just trial). They must be independent of the execu­tive. This enables the judges to exercise control over government action. Judges must be free of any political bias (пристрастность, предубеждение).

Most of the work of the judges is judicial in the sense that they have to adjudicate upon disputes. To do this they are required, im­partially, to find the facts based on the evidence presented to the court, to apply the law to the facts and then to give the right deci­sion. Their role is therefore limited to ensuring that there is a fair trial, reaching a decision on the fact as presented to them and ap­plying this to the law.

Judges do not investigate the cases they are trying but they do not play a completely passive role; they may, sometimes, question witnesses and they must ensure that the trial is conducted accord­ing to the rules of procedure and evidence.