Text 4 the structure of the US Court system

Exercise 4.1 Study the vocabulary:

1) heritage	1) спадщина
2) to mandate	2) наказати, доручити
3) to overlap	3) частково співпадати
4) complicated	4) складний
5) district court	5) окружний суд
6) handle	6) управляти, обговорювати
7) federal judiciary	7) федеральне правосуддя, судочинство
8) alleged	8) передбачений
9) maritime	9) морський
10) judicial circuit	10) судовий округ
11) challenge	11) виклик
12) federal regulatory agency	12) федеральне регуляторне відомство
13) Supreme Court	13) Верховний суд
14) Chief Justice	14) голова Верховного суду
15) Associate Justice	15) член суду
16) final	16) кінцевий, остаточний
17) to review	17) переглядати
18) high-ranking	18) високопосадовий
19) issue	19) питання; (юр.) предмет судової тяганини
20) to involve	20) залучати; включати

Exercise 4.2 Read and translate the text:

The U.S. court system is divided into two administratively separate systems, the federal and the state, each of which is independent of the executive and legislative branches of government. Such a dual court system is a heritage of the colonial period. By the time the U.S. Constitution had first mandated (1789) the establishment of a federal judiciary, each of the original Thirteen Colonies already had its own comprehensive court system based on the English model. Thus, the two systems grew side by side and came to exercise exclusive jurisdiction in some areas and overlapping, or concurrent, jurisdiction in others.

Of the two systems, the federal is by far the less complicated. The federal judiciary is divided into three main levels.

At the bottom are the federal district courts, which have original jurisdiction in most cases of federal law. There are from 1 to more than 20 judges in each district, and, as with most federal jurists, district court judges are appointed by the President and serve for life. Cases handled by the federal district courts include those relating to alleged violations of the Constitution or other federal laws, maritime disputes, cases directly involving a state or the federal government, and cases in which foreign governments, citizens of foreign countries, or citizens of two or more different states are involved.

Directly above the district courts are the United States courts of appeals, each superior to one or more district courts. Established by Congress in 1891, the court of appeals system is composed of 11 judicial circuits. There are from 6 to 27 judges in each circuit. In addition to hearing appeals from their respective district courts, the courts of appeals have original jurisdiction in cases involving a challenge to an order of a federal regulatory agency.

The highest court in the federal system is the Supreme Court of the United States. It is composed of one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. The Supreme Court sits in Washington, D.C., and has final jurisdiction on all cases that it hears. The high court may review decisions made by the U.S. courts of appeals, and it may also choose to hear appeals from state appellate courts if a constitutional or other federal issue is involved. The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in a limited number of cases, including those that involve high-ranking diplomats of other nations or those between two U.S. states.

Exercise 4.3 Decide if the statements are true or false:

1. The U.S. court system is divided into two separate systems.

2. Such a dual court system has recent origin.

3. Both systems exercise exclusive jurisdiction in some areas and overlapping, or concurrent, jurisdiction in others.

4. The federal judiciary is divided into three main levels.

5. The highest courts are the federal district courts, which have original jurisdiction in most cases of federal law.

6. The Supreme court is composed of nine justices.

7. The Supreme Court has final jurisdiction on all cases that it hears.

Exercise 4.4 Read the text again and fill in the gaps:

1. Of the two systems, the federal is by far the less ….

2. There are from 1 to more than 20 … in each district.

3. District court judges are appointed by the … and serve for ….

4. Directly above the district courts are the United States courts of ….

5. Established by Congress in 1891, the court of appeals system is composed of 11 judicial ….

6. The courts of appeals have original jurisdiction in cases involving a challenge to an order of a federal ….

7. The highest court in the federal system is the … of the United States.

8. The high court may … decisions made by the U.S. courts of appeals.

9. The Supreme Court may also choose to hear appeals from state appellate courts if a … or other federal issue is involved.

10. The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in a … number of cases.

Exercise 4.5 Match the term with its definition:

1. District court	the power, right or authority to apply the law
2. Allege	the act of breaching of right, duty or law
3. Violation	to argue, to call into question
4. Jurisdiction	to assert without proof or before proving
5. Appeal	to select for an office or position
6. Dispute	the lowest court in the USA
7. Appoint	to take a case to a higher court for rehearing and a new decision

Exercise 4.6 Translate the following:

1. Судова система США поділяється на федеральну і штатну системи.

2. Федеральна судова система складається з трьох рівнів.

3. Судді окружних судів призначаються президентом.

4. Система апеляційних судів складається з одинадцяти судових округів.

5. До складу Верховного суду входить голова та вісім членів суду.

6. Верховний суд може переглядати рішення, винесені апеляційними судами США.

Дата добавления: 2015-01-03