Text b Judges in the Russian Federation

Judges shall be citizens of the Russian Federation over 25 years of age with a higher education in law who have served in the legal profession for not less than five years. Federal law may establish additional requirements for judges of the courts of the Russian Federation.

Judges shall be independent and shall be subordinate only to the Constitution and federal law.

Judges shall be irremovable.

The powers of a judge may be terminated or suspended only on the grounds and in accordance with the procedure established by federal law.

Judges shall be inviolable.

A judge cannot face criminal liability otherwise than in accordance with the procedure established by federal law.

Vocabulary

face criminal liability нести уголовную ответственность

ground n основание; on the grounds на основании

inviolable adj неприкосновенный, пользующийся неприкосновенностью

irremovable adj несменяемый

subordinate v подчинять; subordinate n подчиненный

suspend v приостанавливать

terminate v прекращать

Reading tasks

Answer these questions.

1 What is the role of the judge in Russia?

2 Who can be a judge?

3 What is social position of judges?

Comprehension check

For questions 1-2, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Questions:

1 Who can be a judge in the Russian Federation?

A Any citizen of the Russian Federation over 25 years of age can be a judge.

B A person with no special education.

C A 25–year old professional lawyer who is a citizen of the Russian

Federation and has served in the legal profession for not less than 5 years

can be a judge.

D Any professional lawyer who is a citizen of the Russian Federation.

2 What is the position of judges in the Russian Federation?

A Judges can be removed.

B Judges are dependent and subordinated to the President.

C Judges shall be inviolable.

D The powers of a judge are terminated or suspended in accordance with the

procedure established by the President.

Chapter IX legal education Unit 30 Legal Education in the uk

Before you read

Discuss these questions.

1 Do you know the names of higher educational institutions where law is studied?

2 What law subjects are you studying now?

3 What area of law interests you most?

4 What are your plans for the future?

Text a Studying Law at Cambridge University (England)

Reading tasks

Understanding the General Content of the Text

1 Below is a description of the Law course at Cambridge University, published by the University for people interested in following the course. Before you look at the description, decide what kind of information you think it might contain.

2 The first time you read the description, you only want to know what information it gives in general. Check that you understand the following instructions. The text has four paragraphs marked A, B, C and D. Read the text quickly and decide which paragraph:

(1) gives information about the subjects students can study on a first degree course

(2) explains the general purpose and method of the course

(3) gives information about Master’s degree courses

(4) says what most law students do before and after they go to university.

A Among all the courses read at Cambridge Legal Studies are very popular. The Law course at Cambridge is intended to give a thorough grounding in the principles of law viewed from an academic rather than a vocational perspective. There are opportunities to study the history of law and to consider the subject in its wider social context.

B Although many undergraduates who read law do so with the intention of practising, many do not, preferring instead to go into administration, industrial management or accountancy. Candidates intending to read law need not have studied any particular subject at school. It is as common for undergraduates to have a scientific or mathematical background at A-level as it is for them to have studied history or languages.

C Undergraduates reading law for three years should take the so- called Tripos, an exam which consists of three parts. Part IA of the Tripos is usually taken at the end of the first year. This comprises four papers: Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, the Law of Tort and Roman Law. In the second year five subjects are studied for Part IB of the Law Tripos which is taken at the end of the year. The range of subjects on offer is wide - from Family Law to International Law – though in practice most undergraduates take Contract and Land Law as two of their papers. In the third year, five subjects are studied for Part II of the Tripos.

D Candidates for the postgraduate LL.M. take any four papers selected from a wide range of options in English Law, Legal History, Civil Law, Public Law, International and Comparative Law and Legal Philosophy.