- •Министерство финансов Российской Федерации
- •Утверждено и рекомендовано решением
- •В качестве учебного пособия
- •Введение
- •Chapter I law Unit 1 Introduction to Law
- •Introduction to Law
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •The Aims of Law
- •In trouble with the law law-abiding my word is law
- •Unit 2 What Law Is
- •What Is Law?
- •Social Morality, Rules and Laws
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter II sources of law Unit 3 Sources of English Law
- •Sources of English Law
- •The Principal Sources
- •The Subsidiary Sources
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 4 Sources of Modern Law
- •Text a Historical and Political Background
- •Text b Common Law Systems
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text c Common Law and Equity
- •Historical Development
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text d Sources of American Law
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text e Continental Systems
- •For You to Remember
- •Sources of Civil Law
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter III constitutions Unit 5 The History of Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b Characteristics of Constitutions
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 6 British Constitution
- •The Nature of the Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 7 us Constitution
- •Founding of the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •13 States convention written constitution
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 8 The Constitution of the Russian Federation
- •The New Russian Constitution
- •Amendments to the Constitution
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter IV the system of government Unit 9 The British Government of Today
- •Text a The Governmental Model
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •1) Государственная власть
- •2) Управление, руководство
- •3) Форма правления, государственное устройство, политический строй
- •4) Правительство, правительственный аппарат
- •Text b The British Parliament
- •Vocabulary
- •Parliamentary Control
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •The System of Government
- •The House of Commons
- •Parliamentary Debates
- •Text c Law-making Process in the uk
- •Stages of a Government Bill
- •The House of Commons
- •The House of Lords
- •The Royal Assent
- •Bill And Law
- •How Bills Go through Parliament
- •Vocabulary
- •Making New Law
- •Types of Bills
- •Vocabulary task
- •Text d The Prime Minister and the Cabinet
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text e The Role of the Monarch in Britain
- •Vocabulary
- •The Richest Woman in the World
- •Vocabulary task
- •Unit 10 The American Government of Today
- •System of Government in the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 11 The System of Checks and Balances
- •Vocabulary
- •Checks and balances
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Checks and Balances
- •Unit 12 Law-making Process in the usa
- •Text a The Concept of Bicameral Legislature
- •How Congress Makes Laws
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text b The Political System of the usa
- •The Political System
- •The Constitution
- •Federalism
- •State and Local Government
- •Three Branches of Government
- •Two-Party System
- •Unit 13 The State System of Russia. The Parliament of the Russian Federation
- •Text a The State System of Russia
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text b The Parliament of the Russian Federation
- •Vocabulary
- •Article 97
- •Article 98
- •Article 99
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter V law enforcement Unit 14 Law Enforcement Bodies
- •Text a Role of Government
- •Text b Role of Police Force
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 15 Enforcing the Law in Britain
- •Text a The English Legal System
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b The British Police
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Identify showing murder investigation found dead
- •Unit 16 Law Enforcement in the usa
- •Text a Protecting the Rights of the Accused
- •Text b Police Technology in the usa
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Federal Bureau of Investigation
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Unit 17 Law Enforcement in the Russian Federation
- •Text a Law Enforcement of Today
- •Vocabulary
- •Text b Application of Law Enforcement
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Chapter VI the courts Unit 18 The Court System of the uk
- •Text a Judicial Institutions
- •Text b Classification of the English Courts
- •Text c The Hierarchy of the Courts
- •Restrictions
- •Vocabulary
- •It is useful to know
- •For you to know
- •5) Cause – судебный процесс, судебное дело, тяжба
- •6) Controversy – гражданский судебный процесс, правовой спор,
- •7) Process – судебный процесс, процедура, порядок, производство дел, судопроизводство, процессуальные нормы
- •8) Proceeding(s) – судебный процесс, рассмотрение дела в суде, судебное разбирательство, судебная процедура, производство по делу, судопроизводство
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text d Courts of England and Wales
- •Judicial organization
- •Unit 19 The u.S. Court System
- •Text a Understanding the u.S. Court System
- •State Courts
- •A Typical State Judicial System
- •Federal Courts
- •Text b Jurisdictions of the Federal and State Court Systems
- •The Federal Judicial System
- •9 Justices
- •12 Circuits
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text c The Miranda Warning
- •Vocabulary
- •Unit 20 The Court System of the Russian Federation
- •The Court Structure
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text b Jurisdiction of Courts
- •The Constitutional Court
- •Jurisdiction of the Courts of General Jurisdiction
- •The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Text c The Courts of the Subjects of the Russian Federation
- •Text d The Arbitrazh Court of the Russian Federation.
- •Jurisdiction of the Federal Arbitrazh Circuit Court as the Court of the First Instance
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary tasks
- •Opening remarks at Meeting with the Judges of the Russian Court
- •Contents
- •Legal English - 1
Unit 19 The u.S. Court System
Before you read
Discuss these questions.
1 What is the general meaning of the word “court”?
2 Comment on this statement “I must speak the truth, and nothing but the truth.”
Text a Understanding the u.S. Court System
When a cause of action occurs, the plaintiff, or injured party, files a complaint [petition] with the court having jurisdiction over the matter. The petition requests a review of the facts by the court. Every plaintiff who follows the procedure for submitting a petition receives his or her day in court regardless of the merits of his or her claim. However, trial judges may almost immediately dismiss cases they deem to be frivolous, or the matter may be settled out of court prior to or even during the actual trial of the case itself.
In a civil case, the losing party may appeal at least once as a matter of right. The court that has power to hear that appeal is called the appellate court. Normally this is the intermediate appellate court since most states and the federal system have three-tiered systems. Since the facts are considered to have been determined by the trial court, the appellate court will only hear questions of law. In other words, the question becomes whether the trial court understood and acted in accordance with the law in the jurisdiction.
The following chart will help you visualize how the cases move from court to court.
Level 1 Trial Court |
Level 2 Appellate |
Level 3 Court of Last Resort |
State system: e.g., Circuit Court of Shelby County, Tennessee |
e.g. , Court of Appeals of Tennessee |
e.g., Supreme Court of Tennessee |
Federal system: District Court |
U.S. Court of Appeals |
U.S. Supreme Court |
State Courts
There are two main court systems in the United States, the federal and the various state systems.
Each of the fifty states and several territories has its own system so the chart above and the explanations below are very generalized overviews.
Level 1: Trial Court
Also referred to as the court of general jurisdiction, the court of record, or the court of original jurisdiction
Plaintiff versus defendant: Johnson v. Pletnikoff
Issues of fact: what happened?
Jury is presented with evidence and renders verdict
Issues of law: was the defendant's action legal or illegal? judge presides over case, instructs jury on law, enters judgement
The losing party has appeal as a matter of right to the next level.
Level 2: Appellate Court
Intermediate appellate jurisdiction
Appellant versus appellee or petitioner versus respondent
losing party versus winning party in the previous trial or sometimes appellee versus appellant depending on the trial court designation
Only issues of law may be considered by the appellate court.
a. prejudicial error – remand for new trial: start over
b. reverse trial decision – judgement for appellant: loser in Level 1 becomes winner
c. affirm trial court decision – judgement for appellee: winner in Level 1 stays winner
• An appeal from this level is normally at the discretion of the next higher court.
Level 3: State Supreme Court
Appellate jurisdiction or the court of last resort
Appellant and appellee/petitioner and respondent
Unless there is a conflict with the U.S. Constitution or federal law, no appeal is possible.
The state supreme courts are the final arbiters of state law.
Examine the diagram showing the structure of a typical state judicial system.