II вариант

I. Прочитайте текст и переведите его письменно.

Each country in the world, even each state of the United States, has its own system of law. However, it is generally true to say that there are two main traditions of law in the world. One is based on English Common law and has been adopted by many Commonwealth countries and most of the United States. The other tradition, sometimes know as Continental, or Roman law, has developed in most of continental Europe, Latin America and many countries in Asia and Africa which have been strongly influenced by Europe. Continental law has also influenced Japan and several other countries.

Common law, or case law systems, differ from Continental law in having developed gradually throughout history, not as the result of government attempts to define or codify every legal relation. Customs and court rulings have been as important as statutes. Judges do not merely apply the law, in some cases they make law, since their interpretations may become precedents for other courts to follow.

Continental systems are sometimes known as codified legal systems. They have resulted from attempts by governments to produce a set of codes to govern every legal aspect of a citizen’s life.

Слова и словосочетания

common law – общее право

case – судебное дело

codify – кодифицировать

statute – статут, законодательный акт

precedent – судебный прецедент

Commonwealth countries – страны содружества

apply the law – применять закон

govern – управлять, регулировать

make law – создавать закон.

II. Найдите и выпишите из текста английские эквиваленты следующих словосочетаний:

иметь свою собственную правовую систему;

системы, основанные на судебном прецеденте;

развиваться на протяжении всей истории;

применять закон;

создавать закон;

судебные прецеденты для других судов;

кодифицированные юридические системы;

жизнь гражданина;

создать ряд кодексов;

правовой аспект;

Римское право;

базироваться на английском общем праве;

судебные решения.

III. Дайте ответы на следующие вопросы по содержанию текста.

1. What are the main traditions of law in the world?

2. What is Common law?

3. What is Continential law?

4. What is the difference between Common law and Continential law?

5. Do judges merely apply the law?

6. What is judicial precedent?

7. What is the main purpose of law?

IV. Соотнесите слова с их определениями.

1. Statute 2. Code 3. Precedent 4. Case 5. Judge 6. Judiciary 7. Legislature

a) a person who makes decisions on legal issues that come up during the trial; b) an action, situation or decision which has already happened and which can be used as a reason why a similar action or decision should be performed or taken; c) a law which has been formally approved and written down; d) а set of rules which are accepted as general principles, or a set of written rules which state how people in a particular organization or country should behave; e) a problem, a series of events or a person being dealt with by police, lawyers, doctors , etc., or a matter to be decided by a judge; f) the group of people who have the power to make and change laws; d) the part of a country’s government which is responsible for its legal system and which consists of all the judges in the country’s courts of law.

V. Вставьте выделенные слова statute, code, precedent, case, judge, judiciary, legislature в следующие предложения:

1. She accused her employer of unlawful dismissal and won her….

2. South Carolina’s … passed a law forbidding new houses to be built on its coast.

3. The salaries of most federal workers are set by ….

4. The judge made a decision based upon existing legal principles and his decision becаme a … for other courts to follow when a similar case arose.

5. The main … of the new law will be those living on or below the poverty line.

6. Customs and court rulings have been as important as ….

7. Any … who has the similar set of facts must decide the case in the same way as in the earlier judgment.