Magistrates, Judges and other legal professions

List of words.

Read the words and learn them.

to commit	совершать (обычно что-л. дурное)
common sense	здравый смысл
to consist of	состоять из
criminal	преступный; криминальный злоумышленник, правонарушитель
to decide	решать, принимать решение
to draw	вытягивать по жребию
elections	выборы
to give up	оставить, бросить (что-л.), терять
guilty	виновный
innocent	невинный человек
to inquire into	расследовать; выяснять
JPs (Justices of the Peace)	мировой судья, судья первой инстанции
to judge	судить, выносить приговор
legal training	юридическое образование, обучение
to listen to	слушать
to look after for through   forward to in	смотреть, глядеть заботиться искать 1)пролистывать (что-л.) 2) не замечать ожидать с нетерпением; предвкушать заглянуть к (кому-л.)
magistrates	судья, мировой судья
prison	тюрьма
at random	случайно, наугад
salary	жалованье, заработная плата
to select	выбирать, избирать
vast	обширный, многочисленный
variety	многообразие, разнообразие
voluntarily	добровольно, свободно
to vote	голосовать

Ex. 1. Complete the phrase by matching the word from A with its best association from B. Translate the phrases.

A	B
1. sound	a) common sense
2. to commit	b) voluntarily
3. to give up	c) a crime
4. to judge	d) a case
5. to have	e) legal training

 

Ex.2. Read the text.

Magistrates

In Britain, the vast majority of judges (that is, people who decide what should be done with people who commit crimes) are unpaid. They are called “Magistrates”, or “Justices of the Peace” or JPs.

There are about 30000 magistrates in Britain. They are ordinary people who are selected not because they have any legal training but because they have “sound common sense” and understand their fellow human beings. Magistrates are selected by special committees in every town and district. Nobody, not even the Magistrates themselves, knows who is on a special committee in their area. The committee tries to draw Magistrates from as wide a variety of professions and social classes as possible.

Magistrates judge cases in the lower courts. They have no formal legal qualifications, but they are respectable people who are given some training. They give up time voluntarily.

Judges

A small proportion of judges are not Magistrates. They are called “High Court Judges” and they deal with the most serious crimes, such as those for which the criminal might be sent to prison for more than a year. High Court Judges, unlike Magistrates, are paid salaries by the State and have legal training.

There is no special training for judges. They are trained as barristers and preside in more serious cases.

Coroners

Coroners have medical or legal training (or both), and inquire into violent or unnatural deaths

Clerks of the Court

Clerks look after administrative and legal matters in the courtroom.

Jury

A jury consists of twelve people (“jurors”), who are ordinary people chosen at random from the Electoral Register (the list of people who can vote in elections). The jury listen to the evidence given in court in certain criminal cases and decide whether the defendant is guilty or innocent. If the person is found guilty, the punishment is passed by the presiding judge. Juries are rarely used in civil cases.

 

Ex. 3. Put the words in the questions in the correct word order and answer them.

1. How magistrates many there are in Great Britain?

2. Magistrates do any legal training have?

3. Who magistrates selects?

4. Does Magistrates draw from wide a committee the variety of professions?

5. Are unpaid Magistrates?

6. Magistrates cases they lower judge, don’t in the courts.

7. Judges do what deal with?

8. Judges are by the State paid salaries?

9. Judges trained as barristers are?

10. Judges do legal training have?

11. Coroners into violent inquire or do unnatural deaths?

12. Who after administrative looks and legal courtroom matters in the?

13. A jury does of people consist twelve?

14. What duties of are the a jury?

 

Ex. 4. Decide if the following statements are True or False:

1. In Britain the vast majority of magistrates are paid.

2. Magistrates have some legal training but they have no “sound common sense”.

3. Magistrates judge cases in the lower courts.

4. Magistrates give up time voluntarily.

5. A small proportion of judges are not Magistrates.

6. High Court Judges deal with the petty crimes.

7. High Court Judges have legal training.

8. They are trained as solicitors and preside in more serious cases.

9. Coroners have either medical or legal training.

10. Coroners inquire into natural deaths.

11. Clerks look after administrative and legal matters in the living room.

12. A jury consists of eleven people.

13. The jury listens to the evidence given in court.

14. The jury decides whether the defendant is guilty or innocent.

15. Juries are often used in civil cases

 

Ex.5. Develop the sentences:

1. Magistrates are…

2. Magistrates deal with…

3. Magistrates judge…

4. Judges are…

5. Judges have…

6. Coroners have…

7. Clerks deal with…

8. A jury consists of…

9. A jury may be…

 

Ex. 6. Make a list of duties of judges, magistrates, coroners, clerks and jurors.

 

Ex.7. Compare the duties of judges and magistrates. Find similarities and differences in their duties, using the following connectors:

alike

both

neither …..nor

 

similar to

dissimilar to

different from

Ex. 8. Role play the dialogues.

A: You are a school-leaver and don’t know what to be. Ask your relatives about the duties of legal eagles.

B You are a parent of a school-leaver. Advice your child on the choice: to be a judge.

C You are a parent of a school-leaver. Advice your child on the choice: to be a coroner

D You are a parent of a school-leaver. Advice your child on the choice: to be a solicitor