Английский язык. Мачнева В.В - 12 стр.

      3 Unit 3 People in Law Cases in Great Britain

      3.1 Types of Legal Professions

      3.1.1 Find the following words and phases in a monolingual dictionary or
give your own interpretation: to make a will, juror, to chose at random, magistrate,
unpaid, respectable people, coroner, clerk

      3.1.2 Find the following words and phrases in the text and make a note of
where they occur: to prepare legal documents, to wear wigs and gowns, Electoral
Register, to inquire into unnatural death, to look after administrative matters

      3.1.3 Read the text and give a summary of it

      Solicitors There are about 50,000 solicitors, a number which is rapidly increasing,
and they make up by far the largest branch of the legal profession in England and Wales.
They are found in every town, where they deal with the day-to-day work of preparing
legal documents for buying and selling houses, making wills, etc. Solicitors also work
on court cases for their clients, prepare cases for barristers to present in the higher
courts, and may represent their client in a Magistrates' court.
      Barristers There are about 5,000 barristers who defend or prosecute in the higher
courts. Although solicitors and barristers work together on cases, barristers specialize in
representing clients in court and the training and career structures for the two types of
lawyer are quite separate. In court, barristers wear wigs and gowns in keeping with the
extreme formality of the proceeding. The highest level of barristers have the title QC
(Queen's Counsel).
      Judges There are a few hundred judges, trained as barristers, who preside in more
serious cases. There are no separate training for judges.
      Jury A jury consist of twelve people ("jurors"), who are ordinary people chosen at
random from the Electoral Register (the list of people who can vote in elections). The
jury listen to the evidence given in court in certain criminal cases and decide whether the
defendant is guilty or innocent. If the person is found guilty, the punishment is passed by
the presiding judge. Juries are rarely used in civil cases.
      Magistrates There are about 30,000 magistrates (Justices of the Peace or JPs), who
judge cases in the lower courts. They are usually unpaid and have no formal legal
qualifications, but they are respectable people who are given some training.
      Coroners have medical or legal training (or both), and inquire into violent or
unnatural deaths.
      Clerks of the court look after administrative and legal matters in the courtroom.



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