Queen and the law/judiciary Sovereign as 'Fount of Justice'

The rendering of justice is one of the oldest of royal functions. From late Anglo-Saxon times, the concept of the Sovereign as the 'Fount of Justice' grew in importance as it helped to ensure that a single system of justice prevailed over competing local, civil and ecclesiastical jurisdictions. [...]

This accumulated legislative power placed responsibilities on the king as a dispenser of justice to ensure order and punish crime. From William the Conqueror (reigned 1066-87) onwards, royal justice was more effectively enforced by the king's appointment of local sheriffs, travelling justices and other officials to administer justice in the Sovereign's name throughout the kingdom. A chronicler of 1179 wrote of Henry II (reigned 1154-89): 'he appointed wise men from his kingdom and later sent them through the regions of the kingdom assigned to them to execute justice among the people... This he did in order that the coming of public officials of authority throughout his shires might strike terror into the hearts of wrongdoers.'

The royal courts were therefore at the centre of the administration of justice in both civil and criminal cases, and Sovereigns themselves took an active part in their own courts, with the king sometimes presiding over the proceedings. By the fifteenth century, the central courts had settled at Westminster, and the Courts of Justice remained housed at Westminster Hall (built in 1097 and renovated in 1394) until 1882.

However, there were limits to royal enforcement of justice or 'the king's peace'. These limits included the geographical distance of the more remote shires (particularly on the troubled borders of the Welsh Marches and Scotland), the independent jurisdiction of 'palatine counties' (where royal powers were granted in franchise to an individual), ecclesiastical jurisdictions and, above all, the Sovereign's reliance on local barons and gentry to uphold the law in the regions - which was liable to break down in times of civil war.

Moreover, as Parliament's legislative role grew and day-to-day power came to be exercised by Ministers in Cabinet, so the Sovereign's role in actually administering justice declined. The Bill of Rights (1689) [...] confirmed the fundamental constitutional principle that the Sovereign no longer had any right to administer justice. The Sovereign's responsibilities regarding the judiciary also waned - under the Act of Settlement (1701), judges were to hold office during good behaviour rather than by the Sovereign's will. (Judges can be removed by the Sovereign on the advice of Ministers, either following an address presented by both Houses of Parliament or without an address in cases of official misconduct or conviction of a serious offence.) The Act therefore established judicial independence. [...]

Task 5. Draw the mind map of the text

Mindmapping (составление ментальных карт или карт памяти) – это удобная и эффективная техника визуализации мышления при помощи графических схем. Автором методики является психолог Тони Бьюзен.Она отражает все стороны мыслительного процесса и позволяет выделить все главные аспекты проблемы, пробелы в понимании вопроса, ассоциативные связи.

Лист бумаги предпочтительно располагать горизонтально, что позволит расширять и модернизировать рисунок-конспект. В центре листа располагается образ всей проблемы/задачи/области знания. От него разноцветными линиями расходятся «ветки» - различные аспекты этого предмета. На каждой ветке располагаются по 3-4 слова – ассоциации с каждым аспектом, также связанные между собой ветками разных цветов.

Основные ветви далее разделяются на более тонкие. Все ветви подписываются ключевыми словами, заставляющими вспомнить то или иное понятие. Связи между отдельными идеями показываются стрелками.

Соблюдайте следующие рекомендации:

• Используйте печатные буквы.

• Размещайте ключевые слова над соответствующими линиями.

• Следите за тем, чтобы длина линии примерно равнялась длине соответствующего ключевого слова.

• Соединяйте линии с другими линиями и следите за тем, чтобы главные ветви карты соединялись с центральным образом.

• Делайте главные линии плавными и более жирными.

• Отграничивайте блоки важной информации с помощью линий.

Task 6. On the basis of the material above present the structured powers and responsibilities of the Russian president in writing

For the next session (Master’s Programme)

Task 1. Read and translate two opposite opinions concerning the British Monarchy