The Judicial Branch of Power. Discuss these questions with your partner

Text 5 A

Before you read

Discuss these questions with your partner.

1. What do you know about the judicial branch of power in the UK?

2. Do you have any idea about the British Constitution?

The United Kingdom has no Ministry of Justice. Responsibility for the administration of the judicial system is divided between the Lord Chancellor and the Home Secretary. The Lord Chancellor is concerned with the composition of the courts, with civil law, parts of criminal procedure and law reform in general. The Home Secretary deals with the prevention of criminal offences, trial and treatment of offenders, and with the prison service.

The United Kingdom doesn't have a single, written constitution. But this doesn't mean that the UK has an ‘unwritten constitution’. In fact, it is mostly written – but instead of being one formal document, the British constitution is formed from various sources, including statute law; case law made by judges, and European Community treaties. There are also some unwritten sources, including parliamentary conventions and royal prerogatives.

Criminal law covers the most serious crimes, such as murder, robbery and assault. These laws are enforced by the police and the courts, and anyone who breaks them can be prosecuted in court. If they are found guilty, they can then be fined, sent to prison, or given community service. In criminal law each person is innocent until proven guilty.

Civil law mostly involves disputes between people, companies or other organizations.

In both criminal and civil cases, the prosecution and defense try to prove to the court that they are right and the other side is wrong.

In criminal cases a jury decides whether the accused is guilty, and the judge issues the sentence.

Most civil disputes never actually go to court, and most of those that do go to court never result in a trial. There are now a number of other ways of solving problems without court action.

Ex.I. Read the text and answer the following questions:

1. Who takes the responsibility for the administration of the judicial system in the United Kingdom?

2. What is the Lord Chancellor concerned with?

3. What does the Home Secretary deal with?

4. What sources is the British constitution formed from?

5. What crimes does criminal law cover?

6. What is the usual punishment for them?

7. What is Civil law concerned with?

8. Do most civil disputes result in a trial?

Ex. II. Read the text and decide if the following statements are True, False or No information.

1. Responsibility for the administration of the judicial system is divided between the Lord Chancellor and the Home Secretary.

2. The Lord Chancellor has overall responsibility for the national court system.

3. The Home Secretary is in charge of organization of the Magistrate Courts.

4. The United Kingdom has a single, written constitution.

5. The British constitution is formed from various sources.

6. Criminal law covers the most serious crimes.

7. The professional judges, “High Court Judges”, deal with the most serious crimes.

8. Civil law mostly involves disputes between people, companies or other organizations.

9. Civil law system is used by almost every country that was not a colony of Great Britain.

10. In criminal cases a jury decides whether they are guilty, and the judge issues their sentence.

Ex.III. Find English equivalents in the text.

1. Ответственность за управление судебной системой Великобритании лежит на Лорд-канцлере и Министре внутренних дел.

2. В Соединенном Королевстве нет единой писаной конституции.

3. Вместо того, чтобы быть единым официальным документом, Британская конституция составлена из различных источников, включающих статутное право, прецедентное право, основанное на судебной практике, и договоры Евросоюза.

4. Уголовное право распространяет свое действие на самые тяжелые преступления, такие как предумышленное убийство, разбой и нападение.

5. Эти законы проводятся в жизнь полицией и судами.

6. Если их признают виновными, они могут быть оштрафованы, отправлены в тюрьму или подвергнуты общественным исправительным работам.

7. Как в уголовных, так и в гражданских делах, обвинение и защита стараются доказать, что они правы, а другая сторона – нет.

8. В уголовных делах суд присяжных решает, является ли обвиняемый виновным, а судья выносит приговор.

Ex. IV. Mind the English words and phrases with their Russian equivalents.

1. to issue a sentence	1. признать виновным
2. community sentence	2. уголовный процесс, уголовное судопроизводство
3. assault	3. судебное разбирательство, судебный процесс
4. murder	4. исправительные работы
5. robbery	5. нападение
6. to find guilty	6. выносить приговор
7. prison service	7. предотвращение уголовных преступлений
8. trial	8. грабеж с насилием или разбой
9. criminal procedure	9. тяжкое (предумышленное) убийство
10. the prevention of criminal offences	10. тюремная служба
11. the composition of the court	11. некарательное воздействие на преступников
12. formal document	12. охватывать, распространять свое действие
13. source	13. защита (в суде)
14. law reform	14. частный конфликт
15. treatment of offenders	15. официальный документ
16. to result in	16. 1) вовлекать 2) включать в себя
17. court action	17. управление, ведение дел
18. defense	18. прецедентное право
19. to cover	19. заниматься чем-либо
20. to involve	20. обвинение (как сторона в судебном процессе)
21. to be concerned with	21. правовая реформа
22. case law	22. судебное преследование
23. administration	23. источник
24. civil dispute	24. состав суда
25. the prosecution	25. приводить к результату

Ex. V. Find the English equivalents for the words and word-combinations. Use them in the sentences of your own.

1. уголовный процесс, уголовное судопроизводство

2. судебное разбирательство, судебный процесс

3. предотвращение уголовных преступлений

4. некарательное воздействие на преступников

5. гражданское право

6. распространять свое действие

7. уголовное право

8. обвинение (как сторона в судебном процессе)

9. защита (в суде)

10. тяжкое (предумышленное) убийство

11. разбой

12. суд присяжных

13. выносить приговор

14. судебное преследование

Ex. VI. Complete the following sentences.

1. The United Kingdom has no ….

2. Responsibility for the administration of the judicial system is divided ….

3. The Lord Chancellor is concerned with ….

4. The Home Secretary deals with ….

5. The United Kingdom doesn't have ….

6. The British constitution is formed from various sources including ….

7. Criminal law covers ….

8. Civil law mostly involves ….

9. In criminal cases a jury decides whether they are guilty, and the judge ….

10. Most civil disputes never actually ….

11. There are now a number of other ways of solving problems...

Ex.VII. Will you tell us about the Judicial Branch of Power, please?

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