The Court Structure in the United Kingdom

The way a court works depends on the kinds of cases it hears. Some courts have a judge and jury, while others have a panel of magistrates.

Magistrates’ Court deals with less serious criminal cases and civil matters. The role of the Magistrates’ Court includes determining whether a defendant is guilty or not, and passing the appropriate sentence; deciding on requests for remand in custody; deciding on applications for bail, and sending serious cases to the Crown Court. Magistrates Courts do not use a jury but instead three magistrates who decide and pass judgment with the help from a trained legal advisor, on whether someone accused of a crime is guilty.

Youth court deals with the cases in which the person accused of a crime is under 18. Youth courts are less formal than magistrates' courts.

If the case is a serious one, it will be heard in Crown Court regardless of the age of the defendant.

Most County Courtcasesdeal with claims for debt repayment, personal injury, family issues such as divorce or adoption, and housing disputes, including non-payment of mortgage or rent, and re-possession. Cases in County Court are heard by a judge, but not a jury.

Crown Court deals with more serious criminal cases, such as murder, rape or robbery. It also handles cases on appeal and those referred to them by Magistrates' Courts. Trials are heard by a judge and a 12-person jury. Criminal trials usually take place in open court - which means that members of the press and public are allowed to hear and see what is happening. Once all the evidence has been presented, the jury decides if the person is guilty or innocent. The judge then decides the sentence, based on government-issued guidelines.

High Court headed by the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, handles the most serious criminal and civil cases, and supervises other courts and tribunals. Most proceedings in the High Court are held before a single judge, but certain cases are assigned to a divisional court (which involves a bench of two or more judges).

Court of Appeal of England and Wales hears cases in which lower courts have made decisions, and may also disagree with the way in which the decision was made. The court is divided into criminal and civil sections. The court hears appeals from the High Court. It also hears appeals of criminal cases that were decided in the Crown Court. In the appeals court three judges normally hear each case.

When cases involve children, they are often heard in Family Court. These courts handle cases such as applications for adoption, custody of children in divorce cases, child safety and other cases. Most family court proceedings are held in private, with the media not allowed in and the decisions usually not made public.

Tribunalscan handle a varied range of cases, such as immigration, social security, child support, pensions, taxes and employment. Each tribunal is run slightly differently, but all are less formal than some other courts.

Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS)carries out the administration and support for the Court of Appeal, the High Court, the Crown Court, the magistrates' courts, the county courts and the Probation Service.

Notes

1. A panel of magistrates - состав судей (магистратов)

2. Magistrates Court – суд магистрата, магистратский суд, мировой суд

3. Crown Court – Суд Короны (уголовное отделение Высокого Суда правосудия)

4. County Court – суд графства

5. A claim - иск

6. Personal injury – оскорбление личности

7. Family issues – семейные разногласия

8. Adoption – усыновление, удочерение

9. Non-payment mortgage or rent- неуплата ипотечного кредита

10. the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales – судья- председатель отделения королевской скамьи Высокого Суда правосудия

11. a divisional court (King’s Bench Divisional Court) – апелляционное присутствие отделения королевской скамьи Высокого Суда правосудия

12. a bench – состав суда или арбитража

13. High Court – Высокий Суд

Ex. VIII. Find the English equivalents in the Text 6 B.

Вынесение соответствующего приговора; выносят судебное решение; невзирая на; иск (требование) о выплате долга; восстановление во владении; рассматривает изложение дела стороной по апелляции; как только показания даны, судья выносит приговор; уголовные судебные процессы обычно проходят на открытом заседании суда; осуществляет надзор над другими судами; нижестоящие суды; ходатайство об усыновлении (удочерении), об опеке над детьми в бракоразводных процессах; большинство судебных разбирательств семейных дел проводятся на закрытом заседании суда; материальная поддержка детей; налоги

Ex. IX. Look at the chart given below. Will you speak about the Court Structure in the United Kingdom?

The Court Structure of Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS)

Translate the following text in a written form. Use a dictionary if necessary.

Text 5 C

For historical reasons, as a state made up of several separate jurisdictions, the United Kingdom does not have a single unified legal system. Instead, there is one system for England and Wales, another for Scotland, and a third for Northern Ireland.

In most cases, the Supreme Court sits above all of these as the final court of appeal. As an appeal court, the Supreme Court cannot consider a case unless a relevant order has been made in a lower court.

The UK joined the European Economic Community (now the European Union) in 1973, since when it has been a requirement to incorporate European legislation into UK law, and to recognise the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in matters of EU law. There have been significant constitutional reforms.

The UK is a signatory of the European Convention of Human Rights, and this has recently been incorporated into UK law with the passing of the Human Rights Act 1998. This allows for the provisions of the Convention to be applied directly by the UK courts.

Notes:

1. relevant – обоснованный

2. the European Court of Justice – Суд Европейских Сообществ

3. a signatory – сигнатарий, подписавшаяся сторона,

подписавшееся государство

Unit VI

Police in Britain

Ex. I. Read the following words and word combinations. Translate the sentences into Russian.

Ex.II. Match these words to their definitions.

Before you read

Discuss these questions with your partner.

1. What do you know about the UK police?

2. What are the duties of the police?

Text 6 A

Police in Britain

Police are the people who work for the governmental department established to enforce the law, prevent and detect crimes, catch criminals and check that people obey the law,to maintain peace, safety, and order of the community.

The police have many functions. Though they mainly deal with criminal law, they may also enforce judgments made in civil courts. As well as gathering evidence, the police have wide powers to arrest, search and question people suspected of crimes and to control the actions of members of the public during demonstrations and meetings. The mere presence of the police deters people from committing crimes.

There is no national police force in Britain. All police employees work for one of the fifty two separate forces which each have responsibility for a particular geographical area. Originally, these were set up locally. The central government inspects them and influence senior appointments within them. In return, it provides about half of the money to run them. The other half comes from local government.

The exception to this system is the Metropolitan Police Force which polices Greater London. The “Met” is under the direct control of central government. It also performs certain national police functions such as the registration of all crimes and criminals in England and Wales and of the missing persons register. New Scotland Yard is the famous building which is the headquarters of its Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

British police still do not carry guns (although all police stations have a store of weapons).

The police are not, of course, above the law. When they arrest a suspect, they have to follow certain procedures. For example, unless they obtain special permission, they are not allowed to detain a person for more than twenty-four hours without formally charging that person with having committed a crime.

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

1. What are police?

2. What was police established for?

3. What functions do the police have?

4. What does the mere presence of the police deter people from?

5. Is there the national police force in Britain?

6. How many police forces are there in the UK?

7. What institution inspects the police forces?

8. How are the police forces financed?

9. What did you learn about the Metropolitan Police Force?

10. What functions does the Metropolitan Police Force perform?

11. What is New Scotland Yard?

12. What weapon do British police carry?

13. How should the police behave when they arrest a suspect?

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

1. Police are the people who work for the governmental department.

2.Police was established to enforce the law, prevent and detect crimes, catch criminals and check that people obey the law,to maintain peace, safety, and order of the community.

3. The police are mainly concerned with criminal law, and they may not enforce judgments made in civil courts.

4. All police employees work for one of the fifty seven separate forces which each have responsibility for a particular geographical area.

5. The central government inspects them and has influence senior appointments within them.

6. If you carry a knife to protect yourself or make yourself feel safer but don’t intend to use it then you are committing a crime, the police may arrest you.

7. The “Met” is under the direct control of the local government.

8. The Metropolitan Police Force doesn’t perform any national police functions.

9. The expanding Metropolitan Police were given new headquarters at Great Scotland Yard in 1875.

10. British police still do not carry guns (although all police stations have a store of weapons).

11. The police are above the law, when they arrest a suspect, they don’t have to follow certain procedures.

12. Unless the police obtain special permission, they are not allowed to detain a person for more than twenty-four hours without formally charging that person with having committed a crime.

Ex.III. Find English equivalents in the text.

1. Полиция была учреждена, чтобы проводить закон в жизнь, предотвращать и раскрывать преступления, следить за тем, чтобы люди повиновались закону, а также поддерживать всеобщий мир, безопасность и порядок в обществе.

2. Полиция в основном имеет дело с уголовным правом, она может также приводить в исполнение решения, принятые в гражданских судах.

3. Одно только присутствие полицейских удерживает людей от совершения преступлений.

4. 52 отдельных подразделений полиции отвечают за определенные участки территории.

5. The exception to this system is the Metropolitan Police Force which polices Greater London. Исключением является подразделение Лондонской полиции, которое охраняет порядок в Большом Лондоне.

6. Подразделение Лондонской полиции регистрирует все преступления и всех преступников в Англии и Уэльсе, а также

ведут книгу учета всех пропавших людей.

7. Полицейские в Британии все еще не носят оружия, хотя в каждом отделении полиции есть склад оружия.

8. Новый Скотланд-Ярд – известное здание, которое является штаб-квартирой Отдела Уголовных Расследований.

9.Когда полицейские арестовывают подозреваемого, они должны придерживаться определенной процедуры ареста.

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

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

1. Предотвращать преступления

2. Раскрывать преступления

3. Совершать преступления

4. Поддерживать всеобщий мир, безопасность и порядок в обществе

5. Приводить в исполнение судебное решение

6. Собирать доказательства

7. Разыскивать преступников

8. Опрашивать людей

9. Люди, подозреваемые в совершении преступления

10. Подозреваемый

11. Удерживать людей от совершения преступлений

12. Подразделение Лондонской полиции

13. Охранять порядок в Большом Лондоне

14. Штаб-квартира Отдела Уголовных Расследований

15. Удерживать под стражей в течение 24 часов

16. Обвинять в совершении преступления

Ex. VI. Complete the following sentences.

1.Police are the people who …

2.Police was established to …

3. The police mainly deal with …

4. The police have wide powers …

5. The mere presence of the …

6. All police employees work for …

7. The exception to this system is the Metropolitan Police Force which …

8. The Metropolitan Police Force performs certain national police functions such as … the registration of all crimes and criminals in England and Wales and of the missing persons register.

9. New Scotland Yard is …

10. Unless the police obtain special permission, they are not allowed …

Ex.VII. Will you tell us about Police in Britain, please?

Text 6 B