Insert necessary words and expressions: Legal System Laws and Courts in the us

The US legal system is based on …, augmented by laws enacted by …… and local laws passed by counties and cities. Most rights and freedoms enjoyed by Americans are enshrined in the first ten amendments of the … and popularly known as the ‘Bill of Rights’.

American law and the US Constitution apply to everyone in the US, irrespective of citizenship or immigration status, and even illegal immigrants have most of the same basic legal rights as US citizens. Under the US constitution, each state has the power to establish its own system of …, resulting in 50 different state legal systems, each supported by its own laws, prisons, police forces, and county and city courts. There’s a wide variation in state and local laws, making life difficult for people moving between states. Never assume that the law is the same in different states (Conflict of State Laws is a popular course in American law schools).

The us Judiciary

The US judiciary is independent of the government and consists of the …, the highest court in the land, consists of … who are appointed for life by the …. Its decisions are final and legally binding on all parties. In deciding cases, … reviews the activities of … governments and decides whether laws are ….. . … has nullified laws passed by … and even declared the actions of US presidents … . Momentous judgments in recent years have involved the Watergate scandal, racial segregation, abortion and capital punishment.

The federal courts

A separate system of federal courts operates alongside … and deals with cases arising under the … or any law or treaty. Federal courts also hear disputes involving state governments or between citizens resident in different states. Cases falling within federal jurisdiction are heard before a …. Appeals can be made to the … and in certain cases to the ….

The civil and criminal courts

There’s a clear separation and distinction between civil courts, which settle disputes between people (such as …), and criminal courts that prosecute those who …. Crimes are categorized as … offences (…’) or serious violations of the law (‘…’). … include offences such as …, and are usually dealt with by a … without a … .. …, which include …, are tried in a court of law and those found guilty are generally sentenced … .

People who commit … may be issued a … (unsuspecting foreigners who violate local by-laws may be let off with a …), while anyone committing a felony is …. An … almost always involves being ‘frisked’ for concealed weapons, handcuffed and read your rights. You must be advised of your … when …. These include … . You will be asked if you wish to waive your rights. This isn’t recommended, as any statement you make can then be used against you in a court of law.

It’s better to retain your rights and say nothing until you’ve spoken with a … . At the police department, you’re … and have the right to make one …. This should be to your … , or (if necessary) to someone who will stand … for you. You’re then put into a … until your case comes before a judge, usually the same or next day, who releases you (if there’s no case to answer) or sets … . … may be a cash sum or the equivalent property value. For minor offences, you may be released on your ‘personal recognizance’. In serious cases, a judge may oppose … .

Vocabulary

abduction	abductor	to abduct
arson	arsonist	to set fire to
assault	assailant	to assault
assisting suicide	accomplice to suicide	to assist suicide
bank robber	bank robbery	to rob a bank
bigamy	bigamist	to commit bigamy
blackmail	blackmailer	to blackmail
bribery	smb offering a bribe	to bribe
burglary	burglar	to burgle
drink-driving	drink-driver	to drink and drive
drug-dealing	drug-dealer	to deal (in) drugs
forgery	forger	to forge
fraud	fraudster	to defraud, to commit fraud
hijacking	hijacker	to highjack
kidnap	kidnapper	to kidnap
murder	murderer, killer	to murder, to kill
mercy-killing	smb who commits a mercy-killing	to commit a mercy-killing
mugging	mugger	to mug
manslaughter	killer	to commit manslaughter
possession of drugs	smb possessing drugs	to possess drugs
rape	rapist	to rape
shoplifting	shoplifter	to shoplift
smuggling	smuggler	to smuggle
speeding	speeder	to speed
stalking	stalker	to stalk
treason	traitor	to commit treason
slander	slanderer	to slander
libel	libeler	to libel
pick pocketing	pickpocket	to pickpocket
swearing in public	smb who wears in public	to swear in public
trespassing	trespasser	to trespass
embezzlement	embezzler	to embezzle
abuse of power	abuser of power	to abuse power
disorderly conduct	hooligan	to behave in an offending way