THE CRIMINAL COURTSMagistrates’ Courts Magistrates’ courts fulfill a vital role within the criminal justice system. They deal with about two million cases a year which includes approximately 97% of all criminal cases and some civil cases. They are widely acknowledged to be quick, efficient and comparatively inexpensive. A truly unique feature within Magistrates’ courts is administration of justice by non-professional, unpaid and part-time lay magistrates. These people are not legally qualified but receive some basic training in court procedures, the examination of pre-sentence reports and penaltiesfor certain offences. Applying the law to certain facts, lay magistrates rely upon the clerk of the court who is either a qualified solicitor or a barrister. Lay magistrates usually sit in groups of three. The more senior magistrate sits in the middle and plays the leading role. They should not all be of the same sex. Serving members of the lay magistracy are entitled to use the letters ‘JP’ after their names meaning that they are Justices of the Peace. The minimum time spent as a JP in court is 26 sittings a year. They do not receive payment for their services except compensation of expenses and any loss of earnings (in case they are unable to fulfill their full-time paid job). Classification of Offences in Magistrate’s Court After the decision to prosecute has been taken, the case will eventually be heard in court. As with civil actions, criminal offences vary in seriousness and complexity. There are three types of criminal offences: summary, indictable and triableeither way. The nature of the offence will determine the mode of trial. Summary offences are the less serious offences such as minor motoring offences. These offences are tried in the Magistrates’ Court, without a jury, before a bench of three lay magistrates or one stipendiary magistrate. The magistrates will hear the evidenceand reach a verdict. If the verdict is “not guilty” the defendant will be acquitted; if “guilty”, the magistrates will pass a sentence. The sentencing jurisdiction of the Magistrates’ Court is limited to imposing a fine of up to 1, 000 pounds or a maximum prison sentence of six months. A case requiring a heavier punishment must be referred to the Crown Court for sentencing. The defendant may appeal to the Crown Court for retrial or to the Divisional Court of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court. This is on the basis that the magistrates were wrong in law or in excess of jurisdiction. The magistrates are required to “state the case” (give reasons for their verdict). This form of appeal is unusually available to the prosecution as well as the defense. A further appeal to the House of Lords is available in cases involving important questions of law. Indictable offences are the most serious offences; examples are murder, manslaughter, rape and arson. The procedure for trying these offences begins in the magistrates’ court with ‘committal proceedings’. Here it is the role of the magistrates to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the prosecution’s evidence and to decide whether it forms serious evidence against the accused. If not, thecase will be discharged. If a prima facie case is established, a full trial will take place in the Crown Court. Offences triable either way are offences which can be committed in a serious or minor way. Burglary and theft are examples of these offences. They may be tried summarily in the Magistrates’ Court or on indictment in the Crown Court. The magistrates will determine the mode of trial taking into account such factors as the seriousness of the offence and the possible appropriate sentence. The accused can insist on trial by jury in the Crown Court but not on summary trial, if the magistrates decide that the case should be tried on indictment. 1. Lay magistrate a) светский магистрат b) народный заседатель в суде магистрата c) магистр-непрофессионал 2. Penalty a) пенальти b) наказание c) неприятность 3. Offence a) правонарушение b) оскорбление c) нападение 4. Clerk of the court a) секретарь суда b) клерк в суде c) суд над клерком 5. JP a) младший прокурор b) справедливость в мире c) мировой судья 6. To prosecute a) гнаться за кем-либо b) выступать в качестве адвоката обвиняемого c) преследовать в судебном порядке 7. Jury a) жюри b) секретарь суда c) присяжные 8. Evidence a) наглядность b) улика, свидетельские показания c) подтверждение 9. Verdict a) решение присяжных b) мнение присяжных c) оценка присяжных 10. Defendant a) обвиняемый b) защитник c) адвокат 11. To acquit a) выплатить долг b) рассчитаться с кем-либо c) оправдывать 12. Manslaughter a) умышленное убийство b) непредумышленное убийство c) зверское убийство 13. Enquiry a) сомнение b) расследование c) исследование 14. To discharge a case a) закрыть дело b) начать дело c) обвинять 15. Summary offence a) преступление, рассматриваемое судом немедленно b) преступление, рассматриваемое судом без участия присяжных c) преступление, рассматриваемое судом с участием присяжных
TASK 8 Fill in the chart with the names of offences from the list below: speeding, murder, burglary, arson, car theft, row, mugging, pickpocketing, vandalism, shoplifting, assault, theft of a bicycle, rape, manslaughter
TASK 9 Can you consolidate the most useful words and expressions from Unit 2 of ‘Legal English’ and translate the following sentences into English? 1. Затем присяжные удаляются для вынесения вердикта. 2. Данный суд заслушивает апелляции по уголовным делам из суда короны. 3. Их решения как по уголовным, так и по гражданским делам являются обязательными для всех судов. 4. Его отправили под стражу, где он провел 3 года. 5. Отделение королевской скамьи заслушивает наиболее серьезные контрактные и арбитражные дела. 6. Апелляции из апелляционных судов поступают в палату Лордов, которая является верхней палатой британского парламента, а также судом последней инстанции. 7. Обсуждаемая проблема имела отношение к апелляциям. 8. В Британии два суда по уголовным делам: суд Магистратов – для рассмотрения мелких правонарушений и суд Короны – для более серьезных. 9. После двенадцати часов совещаний, присяжные, наконец, вынесли свой вердикт: обвиняемый виновен. 10. Судья приговорил его к семи годам тюремного заключения за вооруженное ограбление.
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