1. Complete each sentence with an appropriate word (the first and last letters have been given to you in each case):
1. A l________r is a general term for any qualified member of the legal profession.
2. An a________y is somebody who is legally allowed to act on behalf of someone else.
3. A member of a juryis called a j________r.
4. The j________yis the collective word for all judges in a country, as well as the court system in general.
5. An a________e is somebody who has the right to speak in open court as the representative of a party in a legal case.
6. A b________r is a member of the legal profession who can plead or argue a case in one of the higher courts of law.
7. An a________t is a person who appeals to a higher court in order to get it to change a decision or a sentence imposed by a lower court.
8. A c________t is somebody who is kept in prison as punishment for a crime.
9. The person who is elected by the other 11 members of juryis called the f________n.
10. A p________n officer supervises people who have committed something wrong but are not sentto prison, or people who have been released early from prison on certain conditions.
11. A s________t is someone whom the police believe has committed a crime.
12. A w________s is someone who sees something happen, or is present when it happens.
13. A j________e is an official who presides over a court and in civil cases decides which party is in theright.
14. A c________tis a person who is represented by a person described in definition 2.
15. A c________t is a person who takes legal action against someone in the civil courts.
16. A group of 12 citizens who are sworn to decide whether someone is guilty or not guilty on thebasis of the evidence they hear in court is called a j________y.
17. A m________eis an official (who is not an attorneyand who is usually unpaid) who tries cases in alower court.
18. The person who brings criminal charges against someone in a court is called a p________r.
19. A d________t is someone who is sued in a civil case or somebody who is accused of a crime in a criminal case.
20. A person who applies for a court order is called an a________t.
21. A s________r is a attorneywho has passed the examinations of the Law Society and has a valid certificate to practise, who gives advice to members of public and acts for them in legal matters.
22. A c________r is a public official who investigates the cause of death or the reason for it, especiallyif it is sudden or unexpected.
23. C________l is the term for a person, described in definition 6, acting for one of the parties in a legal action.
Complete these paragraphs with words or expressions from the box.
People in the Law
1. accused 2. adoption 3. Affiliation 4. appointed 5. bench 6. Biased 7. called to the Bar 8. challenged 9. clerk 10. commit 11. criminal 12. Crown Court 13. electoral register 14. eligible 15. exclusively 16. Inns of Court 17. Inquests18. jurors 19. jury service 20. lay 21. libel 22. Magistrates' Courts 23. misconduct24. on bail 25. Parliament 26. political 27. practise28. pupillage 29. Recorders30. right of audience 31. sentence 32. solicitor 33. stipendiary 34. trial 35. verdict
Barristers
In England and Wales, a barrister is a member of one of the __________ (= the four law societies in Londonto which lawyers are members); he or she has passed examinations and spent one year in __________ (=training) before being __________ (= being fully accepted to practise law). Barristers have the __________ in all courts in England and Wales: in other words, they have the right to speak, but they do not have that right __________.
Magistrates
Magistrates usually work in __________. These courts hear cases of petty crime, __________, __________, maintenance and violence in the home. The court can __________ someone for __________ or for__________ in a __________. There are two main types of magistrates: __________ magistrates (qualified lawyers who usually sit alone); __________ magistrates (unqualified, who sit as a __________ of three and can only sit if there is a justices' __________ present to advise them).
Judges
In England, judges are __________ by the Lord Chancellor. The minimum requirement is that one should bea barrister or __________ of ten years' standing. The majority of judges are barristers, but they cannot__________ as barristers. __________ are practising barristers who act as judges on a part-time basis. The appointment of judges is not a __________ appointment, and judges remain in office unless they are found guilty of gross __________. Judges cannot be Members of __________.
The jury
Juries are used in __________ cases, and in some civil actions, notably actions for __________. They are alsoused in some coroner's __________. The role of the jury is to use common sense to decide if the __________ should be for or against the __________. Members of a jury (called __________) normally have no knowledge of the law and follow the explanations given to them by the judge. Anyone whose name appears on the __________ and who is between the ages of 18 and 70 is __________ for __________.
Judges, magistrates, barristers and solicitors are not eligible for jury service, nor are priests, people who are__________, and people suffering from mental illness. People who are excused jury service includemembers of the armed forces, Members of Parliament and doctors. Potential jurors can be __________ if one of the parties to the case thinks they are or may be __________.