Vocabulary

to hail as провозглашать

to stagger распределять, располагать в определенном

порядке

Federal Judiciary

The Supreme Court is the main body of the judiciary system of the USA. It consists of the Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices. They are appointed for life by the President and approved by the Senate.

Though the primary function of the Supreme court is to hear cases on appeal from lower courts, its power to declare acts of the President and Congress unconstitutional can change dramatically the nation's policy.

It is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the USA who administers the oath of office during inaugurations of the Presidents and the Vice Presidents that take place on January 20 of the year following the national election.

Vocabulary

the Supreme Court Верховный Суд

the Chief Justice Председатель Верховного суда США

Associate Justice судья, член Верховного Суда США

case on appeal аппеляция, дело по обжалованию

(судебного решения или приговора)

to administer the oath of office приводить к присяге при вступлении в

должность

State Government

All the states have their own written constitutions and their own laws that regulate people's daily lives. Athough the constitutions of fifty states differ greatly from each other in some aspects, they all share the principle of the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances. Each state has a governor, a state legislature and a state judiciary and in this sense every state government parallels the governmental forms of the federal system.

The highest official of each state is the Governor. He or she is chosen by a state-wide election. Each state also has one or two elected institutions known as state legislatures whose members represent the different parts of the state. The judicial systems of the states vary in structure and procedures.Generally speaking, however, at the lowest level there are courts, which deal with the majority of civil and criminal cases. Appeals go to district courts, while the State Supreme Court has the same role as the United States Supreme Court in the federal system.

All the states have the right to levy taxes; and many spheres – such as education, health, welfare and police – are supported either entirely or mainly by state, rather than federal funds.

Local Government

The institutions that are responsible for local government are called town or city or county councils. They are entirely the creations of the state, and their powers vary from one state to another. In some states the power of local governments to tax, to educate and to operate social services is great, while in the other states they are virtually powerless in many spheres.

The highest elected official of a town or city is usually the mayor.