4. Match the synonyms to the following words:

1. court, n 2. to establish, v 3. criminal, n 4. authority, n 5. supreme, adj 6. to involve, v 7. to testify, v 8. lawyer, n 9. judge, n 10. legal, adj 11. claim, n 12. evidence, n 13. oral, adj 14. question, v

a. justice, n b. to comprise, v c. testimony, n d. advocate, n e. lawful, adj f. to settle, v g. to interrogate, v h. trial, n i. lawbreaker, n j. verbal, adj k. jurisdiction, n 1. petition, n m. highest, adj n. to witness, v

5. Answer the questions on the text above:

1. What is a court?

2. What powers do State and Federal courts have?

3. What are the two different levels of courts?

4. What is an appellate court?

5. What does a trial court consist of?

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

7. What is a transcript and appellate briefs?

8. What are possible decisions of appellate courts?

9. What is the judiciary?

10. Where are civil and county cases tried in the UK?

6. 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.

7. Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Окремі судові системи розглядають найбільш серйозні або складні

цивільні і кримінальні справи.

2. У відповідності до законів Англії, суд складається з як мінімум трьох сторін: позивача, відповідача і судової влади, яка визначає права і встановлює істину.

3. Суди можуть складатися з додаткових адвокатів, судових приставів та присяжних.

4. Апеляційний суд іноді розглядає рішення суду першої інстанції, коли на думку однієї сторони в ході судового розгляду була зроблена юридична помилка.

5. Відповідно до вимог Конвенції, держави-члени зобов'язуються забезпечити будь-якій особі, що звертається з оскарженням порушення її прав і свобод, викладених в Конвенції, ефективний засіб правового захисту в національному органі.

6. Апеляційний суд має право скасувати рішення суду першої інстанції й прийняти нове рішення.

8. Read the text and then discuss.

WHAT IS A PROCEDURE IN A CRIMINAL ACTION?

A criminal action is a lawsuit brought by the state (also known as the people) against a person accused of a crime. If the judge finds that there is not enough evidence to send the case to trial, he or she will dismiss the charge, the person is released. If the judge finds that there is enough evidence to justify a trial, the judge commits the accused person to trial and, if the accused pleads not guilty, sets a trial date. Under law, a person is presumed to be innocent until:

(l) guilt is admitted or, (2) guilt is proven doubt in a competent court.

Codes of procedure specify in detail the conduct of a trial. This is done to protect the rights of the accused person. The first step is usually an investigation to determine who may have committed a reported crime. The investigators seek evidence to present in court. Usually an arrest warrant (written court order) must be issued by a court for the suspect to be arrested. Upon arrest, the suspect must be booked (fingerprinted and photographed). After the booking, a judge, in a preliminary hearing, determines whether the suspect will be kept in jail or released on bail. Bail is a sum of money or property deposited or pledged to guarantee that the arrested person will appear for a preliminary hearing or trial. The amount in each case is set by the judge.

In some cases, the accused person may be released on his own recognizance. This means that the suspect promises to appear as scheduled without putting up bail. This usually happens if the accused is a reputable citizen with substantial assets.

For some minor offenses, including most traffic violations, the arresting officer may give the offending person a citation. This is a notice that identifies the offense and directs the person to:

1) appear in court at a specified time if he or she wants to dispute the charge or 2) pay a prescribed amount without appearing in court.

The amount is a standardized fine for the offense. In some states and at the federal level, an indictment by a grand jury is required before a person can be brought to trial for a felony (serious crime punishable either by death or by imprisonment for more than one year). An indictment is a written accusation, which declares that there is sufficient evidence to try the identified individual for a specified crime. A grand jury is a group of citizens selected to hear, in secret, the evidence of alleged crimes submitted by the prosecutor.

One who has not been indicted by a grand jury is given a preliminary hearing before a judge. The purpose of the hearing is to determine from the evidence whether the accused person should be released or held for trial as charged offender. After the filing of the formal charge, the accused person is called the defendant. A defendant is the person against whom a criminal (or civil) action is brought. In a criminal action, the state - the party bringing suit against the defendant - is known as the prosecution.

Before the criminal trial, the defendant is brought before the court to hear the formal charges. The defendant is also required to plead guilty or not guilty. This court proceeding is known as arraignment. If the defendant pleads guilty, the defendant is sentenced. If the plea is not guilty, the defendant must stand trial.

What is a criminal action? When is a person presumed to be innocent?

What are the steps of a trial? What does release on bail mean?

What does release on recognizance mean? What is a citation?

What is an indictment? What is a grand jury?

What are the parties at the criminal trial?

When is the defendant sentenced in a criminal law suit?