The Court System of the UK

The United Kingdom has no Ministry of Justice. The courts and lawyers have a strong tradition of independence from the government. Responsibility for the administration of the judicial system in England and Wales is divided between the courts themselves, the Lord Chancellor, and the Home Secretary. The Lord Chancellor, who is the head of the legal profession and is always a member of the Cabinet, is concerned with the composition of the courts, with civil law, parts of criminal procedure and law reform in general; the Home Secretary is concerned with the prevention of criminal offenses, the apprehension, trial and treatment of offenders, and with the prison service. England and Wales have a single system of law and courts, and Scotland has a system of its own.

The most common type of law court in England and Wales is the magistrates’ court, which is presided over by the magistrates, who are normally Justices of the Peace (JPs). More serious cases then go to the Crown Court presided over by judges or senior barristers specially appointed to perform judicial functions for part of their time. Civil cases (for example, divorce or bankruptcy cases) are dealt with in County Courts. Appeals are heard by higher courts. For example appeals from magistrates’ courts are heard in the Crown Court. Certain cases are referred to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg [´lΛks(ə)mbə:g] or the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg [´stræzbə:g]. The legal system also includes juvenile courts (which deal with offenders under seventeen) and coroners’ courts (which investigate violent, sudden or unnatural death). There are administrative tribunals [trai´bju:nl], which deal with professional standard, disputes between individuals, and disputes between individuals and government departments (for example, over taxation).

The first thing to notice is that there is no civil code and no criminal code. The law consists partly of statutes, or Acts of Parliament, and partly of common law made up of the decisions of judges, with regard to matters not regulated by statutes, in accordance with custom and reason. A large part of the civil law is not contained in statutes at all but made up of a mass of precedents, privious court decisions. By now, however, almost all actions for which a person may be punished are actions which are specifically forbidden by some statute.

2. Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions:

міністр; міністр закордонний справ; міністр юстиції; Лорд-Канцлер; Міністр внутрішніх справ; заслуговує на окрему згадку; ініціювати правову реформу; керування правовою системою; поводження із злочинцями; запобігання кримінальних злочинів; займатися складом судів; затримання; суд / судовий процес; втручатися; виконувати судові функції; справа про банкрутство; суд графства; суд у справах неповнолітніх; відправити справу до Європейського суду; мати справу з правопорушниками молодше сімнадцяти років; розслідувати насильницьку, раптову чи неприродню смерть.

3. A: Fill in the appropriate word from the list below.

juvenile court, International Court of Justice, prosecuted,  apprehension, Magistrates’ Courts, county courts, concerns, Crown Court, coroner

 

1. He was _______ for fraud. 2. The problem _______ all of us. 3. The warrant for his _______ was obtained. 4. _______ has unlimited jurisdiction over all criminal cases tried on indictment ([in΄daitmənt] – обвинувальний акт) and also acts as a court for the hearing of appeals from magistrates’ courts. 5. The principle function of _______ is to provide the forum in which all criminal prosecution are initiated. 6. A _______ or forensics examiner is an official responsible for investigating deaths, particularly some of those happening under unusual circumstances, and determining the cause of death. 7. A _______ is a court of law having special authority to try and pass judgments for crimes committed by children or adolescents who have not attained the age of maturity. 8. There are 218 __________ in England and Wales which deal with the majority of civil cases, as well as some family and bankruptcy hearings. 9. The _________ is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations, the main functions of which are to settle legal disputes submitted to it by member states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by international organs, agencies and the UN General Assembly.

 

 

B: Fill in the appropriate preposition or adverb where necessary.

1. The law firm was concerned … the building contract. 2. The Lord Chancellor is responsible … the appointment … certain judges. 3. The four Law Officers represent the Crown … civil litigation, prosecute … important criminal cases, and advise government … points … law. 4. The Lord Chancellor is concerned … the composition … the courts.

4. Choose word or phrase (a, b or c) which best completes the unfinished sentence:

1. The Lord Chancellor is responsible for the appointment of …. . 

a) ministers; b) secretaries; c) judges

2. Responsibility for the administration of the judicial system is taken … .

a) by the Ministry of Justice; b) by the courts; c) by the Monarch

3. The prevention of criminal offenses, the apprehension, and trial are the duties of … .

  a) the Lord Chancellor; b) the judges; c) the Home Secretary

4. The Road Traffic Act 1972 … that it is illegal to drive under the influence of drugs.

a) legislates; b) amends; c) provides

5. Parliament is a … body.

a) legislation; b) legislative; c) legislature

6. The Chancellor of the Exchequer asked the Parliament to … the existing tax on alcoholic drinks and replace it with a tax on all drinks except water. 

a) establish; b) abolish; c) enact

7. The Law Officers of the Crown may … in litigation defending the public interest.

a) reform; b) initiate; c) intervene

8. The Home Secretary is … the prevention of criminal offenses.

a) accused of; b) concerned with; c) known for

9. England and Scotland have a … system of law and courts.

a) different; b) similar; c) Romano-Germanic 

5. Speaking.  Speak about the UK court system and compare it with the court system of your country.

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