Форма правления, государственное устройство, политический строй

democratic/ republican/ federal/ parliamentary government – демократическая/ республиканская/ федеральная/ парламентская форма правления

constitutional government – конституционная форма правления

a system of government – система правления

Правительство, правительственный аппарат

Liberal/ Labour/ Conservative Government – либеральное/ лейбористское/ консервативное правительство

to form the government – сформировать правительство

Match the following English expressions with their Russian

equivalents:

1.. military government	a. постановление правительства
2. authoritarian government	b. военная администрация
3. colonial form of government	c. парламентское правление
4. government investigation	d. правительство Её Величества
5. government of the day	e. правительственные учреждения
6. government offices	f. представительная форма правления
7. government official	g. временное правительство
8. government(al) department	h. авторитарная форма правления
9. government(al) regulation	i. правительственное ведомство
10. Her Majesty’s Government	j. правительственное расследование
11. parliamentary government	k. колониальная форма государственного устройства

 

IV. Match the following terms with their definitions:

1. common law	a. completion of an agreement
2. equity	b. body of regulations imposed by emperors of ancient Rome
3. Magna Carta	c. case law, reflecting customs of the people
4. Roman civil law	d. great chapter of liberties for English people
5. specific performance	e. form of justice administrated when there is no suitable remedy available in common law courts

 

UNIT 2

TEXT2A THE COURTS AND KINDS OF LAW

I. Read and translate the text using the words and word combinations after it:

WHAT IS A COURT?

A court is a tribunal established to administer justice under the law. It may decide civil disputes or criminal cases. A court may award damages or administer punishment for crimes.

Courts vary in authority (or jurisdiction) from justice of the peace and small claims courts to the supreme courts of various states and the Supreme Court of the United States. State courts have power to decide cases involving state and local laws. Federal courts have power to decide cases involving federal law.

There are two different levels of courts: trial courts and appellate courts. A trial court is the first court to hear a dispute. Witnesses testify and presented information to prove the alleged facts. A trial court consists not only of a judge but also of lawyers, who are officers of the court, and others who are necessary for the court's operation. The words court and judge are often used to mean the same thing. While presiding over a legal action, the judge may be referred to as «The Court» or «Your Honor».

An appellate court sometimes reviews decisions of a trial court when a party claims an error of law was made at the trial level. In most cases, the decision may be appealed to the next higher court, including the state supreme court. The decision of the supreme court of a state may be reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Unlike trial courts, appellate courts do not hear witnesses or accept new evidence. They examine the transcript — the word-for-word written record of what was said at the trial. They also read appellate briefs (written arguments on the issues submitted by the opposing attorneys). Then the appellate courts listen to oral arguments of the attorneys and may question them about the case. Finally, the appellate courts decide whether, as a matter of law, the decision below should be affirmed (upheld), reversed (overturned), amended (changed), or remanded (sent back to the trial court for corrective action, including possibly a new trial).

 

Vocabulary notes:

court – суд	officer -чиновник, должностное лицо, служащий
to administer justice –вершить правосудие	legal action –судебный процесс
to award damages –возмещать убытки	transcript –расшифровка (стенограмма)
to administer punishment –применять наказание	brief –краткое письменное изложение дела с привлечением фактов и документов, с которым сторона выступает в суде
The Supreme Court –Верховный суд	to affirm –подтверждать
trial court –суд, судебное заседание	to reverse –аннулировать, отменять
appellate court –апелляционный суд	to amend –исправлять
to testify –давать показания, свидетельствовать, показывать (to – в пользу, against – против)	to remand –отсылать (дело) обратно на доследование, возвращать в первоначальную инстанцию

II. Answer the following questions:

1. What is a court?

2. What powers have State courts?

3. What powers have Federal courts?

4. What are the two different levels of courts?

5. What does a trial court consist of?

6. What is the role of witnesses at the trial?

7. What is the role of lawyers at the trial?

8. What is an appellate court?

9. Do appellate courts hear witnesses or accept new evi­dence?

10. What is a transcript and appellate briefs?

11. What is a procedure in appellate courts?

12. What are possible decisions of appellate courts?

III. Match the synonyms to the following words:

1. court, n	a. justice, n
2. to establish, v	b. to comprise, v
3. criminal, n	c. testimony, n
4. authority, n	d. advocate, n
5. supreme, adj	e. lawful, adj
6. to involve, v	f. to settle, v
7. to testify, v	g. to interrogate, v
8. lawyer, n	h. trial, n
9. judge, n	i. lawbreaker, n
10. legal, adj	j. verbal, adj
11. claim, n	k. jurisdiction, n
12. evidence, n	1. petition, n
13. oral	m. highest, adj
14. question, v	n. to witness, v

 

IV. Insert the following words into the sentences below:

witnesses, appellate court, transcript, levels, power, decide, tribunal, attorneys, question

1. There are two different … of courts: trial courts and appellate courts.

2. A court is a … established to administer justice under the law.

3. State courts have … to decide cases involving state and local laws.

4. An …sometimes reviews decisions of a trial court when a party claims an error of law was made at the trial level.

5. The court may … civil disputes or criminal cases.

6. They examine the … - the word-for-word written record of what was said at the trial.

7. Then the appellate courts listen to oral arguments of the … and may … them about.

8. Unlike trial courts, appellate courts do not hear … or accept new evidence.

TEXT 2B

I. Read and translate the text using the words and word combinations after it: