Практическая работа по "Иностранному языку"

Task 1. Study the meaning of the words, word combinations, and expressions given before the text.

Task 2. Read the text Other Legal Professions in Britain. 

OTHER LEGAL PROFESSIONS IN BRITAIN

A judge is a public official with authority to hear and decide cases in a law court. There is a hierarchy of judges occupying different positions for the experience and ability of each. Circuit judges preside over criminal cases in the Crown Court and civil cases in the county courts. High Court Judges (‘red judges’) deal with the most serious cases for which the criminal might be sent to prison for more than a year. High Court Judges have considerable legal training and are paid salaries by the State. They are appointed by the Crown. Lord Justices of Appeal sit in The Court of Appeal. They are chosen from High Court judges.

Magistrates, or Justices of the Peace (JPs) are ordinary citizens and who are selected by special committees in every town and district. Nobody, not even the Magistrates themselves, knows who is on the special committee in their area. The committee tries to draw Magistrates from as wide a variety of professions and social classes as possible. They are selected not because they have some legal training but because they have ‘sound common sense’. They judge cases in the lower courts (Magistrates’ Courts) and are generally unpaid. Most magistrates sit part time as a bench of three, assisted by a legally qualified clerk. Large cities in England and Wales have stipendiary magistrates who are legally qualified and sit alone, full time. Magistrates can try all but the most serious offences, and some offences can only be tried by them.