1. A judge asks potential jurors questions to checks if they are biased.
2. Jurors’ answers are recorded by an employee of the court.
3. Every person that reports for jury duty listens to a trial.
Match the words (1- 6) with the definitions (A-F).
1 _ clerk of the court
2 _ court reporter
3 _ defense
4 _ prosecution
5 _ juror
6 _ bailiff
A) the side of a case that attempts to prove innocence
B) the side of a case that attempts to prove guilt
C) a person who assists a judge
D) an officer who keeps order in court
E) a person that types everything that is said in court
F) a person who listens to a trial and decides if a defendant is guilty or not
4. Check ( ✓ ) the sentence that uses the underlined parts correctly.
1. A) The proceedings took place in the courtroom on the second floor.
B) The defense brought the lawsuit against the corporation.
2. A) The judge took his seat in the jury box when the trial started.
B) Judge Williams is presiding over the upcoming trial.
3. A) Mary isn't going to be at work because she has jury duty.
B) The bailiff typed the attorney's words very quickly
4. A) The court reporter sat at the table with her client and waited for the that to start
B) The attorney stood close to the jury box as he made his argument to the jurors.
Listen to a conversation between a judge and a defense attorney.
A) Choose the correct answers.
1 What is the conversation mostly about?
A) removing a juror
B) questioning a juror
C) selecting a new juror
D) protesting a juror's decision
2. What is the judge's opinion?
A) He thinks young people often commit crimes.
B) He plans to release the defendant.
C) He doubts the juror would be unfair.
D) He agrees with the attorney's argument.
B) Listen again and complete the conversation.
Attorney: Your Honor, I don't believe that 1) ___________ four should sit for this trial.
Judge: For what 2) ____________?
Attorney: One of his answers to my questions. He believes that young people are more likely to commit crimes these days.
Judge: And you're worried that he will be 3) ____________ toward the defendant?
Attorney: Yes. My client is only seventeen years old.
Judge: The 4) ____________ has a point. Well release him.
Attorney: Thank you, Your Honor.
Judge: We'll continue the 5) __________ after the 6) ___________ of the
court calls in another juror.
Use the conversation from Ex. 5 to complete the notes about selecting a jury for a trial.
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Read and translate the text.
JURY SERVICE: AN IMPORTANT JOB ANDA REWARDING EXPERIENCE
(The following text is taken from a handbook on jury service for the U.S. citizens)
The right to trial by a juryof our fellow citizens is one of our most important rights and is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Your job as a juroris to listen to all the evidence presented at trialand to “decide the facts”, that is, to decide what really happened. The judge, on the other hand, “decides the law” – that is, makes decisions on legal issuesthat come up during the trial. For example, the judge may have to decide whether you and the other jurors may hear certain evidence or whether one lawyer may ask a witnessa certain question. You should not try to decide these legal issues, sometimes you will even be asked to leave the courtroomwhile they are being decided. Both your job and that of the judge must be done well if our system of trial by jury is to work. In order to do your job, you do not need any special knowledge or ability. It is enough that you keep an open mind, concentrate on the evidence being presented, use your common sense, and be fair and honest. Finally, you should not be influenced by sympathy or prejudice: it is vital that you be impartialwith regard to all people and all ideas.
Many jurors find that it is exciting to learn about this most important system “from the inside”, and challenging to deal fairly and thoroughly with the cases they hear. We hope that you, too, find your experience as a juror to be interesting and satisfying.
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HOW YOU WERE CHOSEN?
Your name was selected at random from voter registration records and placed on a list of potential jurors. Next your answers to the Questionnaire for Jurors were evaluated to make sure that you were eligible for jury serviceand were not exempt from service. To be eligible, you must be over 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, a resident of the county in which you are to serve as a juror, able to communicate in the English language and if you have been convicted of a felony, you must have had your civil rights restored. People who meet these requirements may be excused from jury service if they have illnesses that would interfere with their ability to do a good job, would suffer great hardship if required to serve, or are unable to serve for some other reason. You are here because you were found to be eligible for jury duty and were able to serve. You are now part of the “jury pool”, the group of people from which trial juries are chosen.
8. Find in the text above the English equivalents of the following words and expressions:
1. Показания
2. Анкета для присяжных
3. Списки избирателей
4. Предубеждение
5. Судебное разбирательство
6. Вопросы права
7. Фонд, резерв присяжных
8. Сохранять объективность в подходе к вопросу, делу
9. Освобождаться от обязанностей присяжного
10. Подходить для службы в суде присяжных
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11. Заслушивать показания
12. Исключать из состава присяжных
13. Восстанавливать в гражданских правах
14. Тщательно и беспристрастно рассматривать дело
15. Удовлетворять требованиям
9. Match the words denoting the duties of the jurors (1-9) with Russian equivalents (a-i):
| 1. to establish evidence 2. to prove the claimed right or fact 3. to be liable for jury service 4. to fix the amount of damages 5. to answer under oath 6. to find a unanimous verdict 7. to decide the case 8. to investigate suspicious deaths 9. to possess various qualifications | a. отвечать под присягой b. решить дело c. иметь разные профессии d. определить улики e. доказать факт или право по иску f. расследовать подозрительную смерть g. определить размер ущерба h. прийти к единогласному решению i. быть обязанным работать в качестве присяжного |
10. Using the statements below, discuss the problem “Jury in the Russian Federation: for and against” in pairs:
For: Against:
1. It is the most democratic system, 1. A jury consists of people who
because more than one person are not professional lawyers.
is responsible for making decisions.
2. Nobody can influence a jury. 2. Jurors can be bribed.
3. Female jurors are more sympathetic. 3. Female jurors are too sympathetic.
4. Every modern industrialized country 4. Russia has its own juridical
must employ a jury system. traditions.
5. A jury is always made of honest people. 5. Nobody can guarantee that a
juror is not a criminal himself.
11. Read and translate the Juror’s Oath:
JUROR’S OATH
I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm
that I will faithfully try the defendant
and give a true verdict according to the evidence