Remember the words and word combination.
Superior court (any the higher courts of the legal system whose jurisdiction is not limited. In English law, the superior court are the “House of Lords”, the “Court of appeal ”, the “High Court” and the “Crown court”) - высокий суд федерального округа Колумбии.
Deadly weapon – смертоносное оружие.
Quiet – тихий, мирный.
Row – ряд.
Glasses – очки.
Retired – удалившейся от дел.
Rock back – качаться.
Petit jury – малое жюри.
Testify – давать показания.
To govern the decision – определять смысл, регулировать.
Deliberate – совещаться, обсуждать.
To agree on judgment (verdict) – устанавливать судебное решение, придающее юридическую силу.
Hung jury – состав присяжных, не пришедших к единому мнению.
Mistrial – неправильное судебное разбирательство, судебный процесс, в котором присяжные не вынесли единогласного решения.
Decide questions of fact – выносить решение.
Overrule – отклонять, отменять.
Decide sentence – приговор суда.
Execution – приведение в исполнение судебного решения.
Listen to the text attentively.
Choose the proper answer.
3. Each day, thousands of Americans are called to serve:
A.) on jury duty
B.) prosecution of criminals
C.) morality
Often a jury trial will last
A.) a month
B.) only a day or two
C.) a year
The seventh amendment gives the same right
A.) in criminal cases
B.) in civil cases
C.) equity
The American system has three kinds of juries. The most common jury is
A.) grand jury
B.) special jury
C.) petit jury
At the end of the trial the judge makes
A.) opening statement to the jury
B.) a final statement to the jury
C.) closing statement to the jury
Decisions by judges and juries can be appealed to
A.) Crown Court
B.) County Court
C.) Higher Court
Decide it the statements are true or wrong
The modern trial jury is a French tradition that colonists brought to North America centuries ago.
The First amendment establishes the right in all criminal cases.
The American system has three kinds of juries.
During a trial lawyers for the opposing sides question the witnesses who testify.
Twelve is traditionally the number in a criminal case.
| 1.) Life without a friend is like death without a witness. 2.) After us the deluge. 3.) All is well that ends well. 4.) As innocent as a babe unborn. 5.) All truths are not to be told. 6.) Be slow to promise and quick to perform. 7.) Better die standing than live kneeling. 8.) Custom is a second nature. 9).Every day is not Sundays. 10.) He that commits a fault thinks everyone speaks of it. 11.) He, who makes no mistakes, makes nothing. 12.) Laws catch flies, but let hornets go free. 13.) Lawyer never goes to law himself. 14.) Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape. 15.) Guilty conscience needs no accuser. | 1.) Нечистой совести обвинитель не нужен. 2.) Жизнь без друга как смерть в одиночку. 3.) После нас хоть потоп. 4.) Все хорошо, что хорошо кончается. 5.) Аппетит приходит во время еды. 6.) Сущий младенец. 7.) Всяк правду знает, да не всяк правду дает. 8.) Не лезь в душу. 9.) Обещай мало – делай много. 10.) Лучше умереть стоя, чем жить на коленях. 11.) Привычка – вторая натура. 12.) Разделяй и властвуй. 13.) Не все коту масленица. 14.) Друг познается в несчастье. 15.) Кто не ошибается, тот ничего не делает. 16.) Век живи, век учись. 17.) Законы ловят мух, а шефиней отпускают. 18.) Сам юрист никогда в суд не обращается. 19.) Воришек вешают, крупные воры остаются безнаказанными. |
Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember. And I'm Barbara Klein. This week on our program, we take a look at the jury system in the United States.
(MUSIC)
A listener in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Batmunkh Buyantogtokh, wants to learn more about American juries. For that, we visit a courtroom that looks much like the ones in movies and TV shows like "Law & Order."
We are in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The D.C. Superior Court is the general trial court for the city of Washington.
This is the fourth day in the case of a man accused of assault with a deadly weapon. We could not bring in a recorder, but the courtroom is mostly quiet except for the lawyers, witnesses and judge talking.
To the judge's right, along the side of the courtroom, is an area where twelve people are seated. In the front row is a man with glasses who looks old enough to be retired. A woman dressed like a young professional sits behind him, listening as a witness is questioned. A man also in his twenties or thirties rocks back in his seat. His hair is cut on both sides of his head; down the middle stands a mohawk.
These three and the other nine people are the members of the jury.
Each day, thousands of Americans are called to serve on jury duty. The idea of citizens hearing legal arguments might date back to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. But the modern trial by jury is a British tradition that colonists brought to North America centuries ago.
Laws on jury trials differ from state to state. But the United States Constitution guarantees the right to trial by jury. The Sixth Amendment establishes the right in all federal criminal cases. The Seventh Amendment gives the same right in civil cases that involve more than a small amount of money.
The American system has three kinds of juries. The most common one is the petit jury. "Petit" -- p-e-t-i-t -- comes from the French word for small. Petit juries can have as few as five or six members or as many as twelve. Twelve is traditionally the number in a criminal case.
Often a jury trial will last only a day or two. But some go for weeks or even months.
During a trial, lawyers for the opposing sides question the witnesses who testify. The lawyers also make opening and closing statements to the jury. At the end, the judge makes a final statement to the jury. The judge explains the laws that govern the decision the jury is asked to make.
The jury then deliberates. The members meet in private, choose a leader and try to agree on a judgment. Most states require all the jurors in a criminal case to agree on the verdict.
Sometimes a jury is unable to reach a verdict. This is called a hung jury. The judge declares a mistrial. Prosecutors then have to decide whether to try the case again.
Juries decide questions of fact; judges decide questions of law. A judge may overrule a jury's decision in some situations, but that is unusual. Decisions by judges and juries can be appealed to higher courts.
Juries rarely decide sentences. An exception is when a jury is asked to recommend either execution or life in prison in murder cases punishable by death.