Obtain
Change
Removing
Lasting for a short time only
To be read after Text 3
The Jury
The jury has a long history within the English legal system, although its role has changed significantly during that time. Originally, members of the jury were witnesses1. Today, they are a group of twelve ordinary people with no special knowledge, chosen at random to act as impartial2 judges of the facts of a case. In a jury trial, the jury is advised by the trial judge on the relevant3 law; that is, the judge's function is to explain the law to the jury and ensure that the trial is conducted according to the rules of procedure and evidence. The function of the jury is then to apply the law to the facts and then decide, in criminal cases, whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty and, in civil cases, whether the defendant is liable to the plaintiff. The decision of a jury is called a verdict4. The juries do not need to give reasons for their verdict. In civil cases the jury will also decide on the amount of damages to be awarded to the plaintiff.
Shadow () juries are sometimes used to research the adequacy of the jury system; a random group of twelve people sits in the court and hears a case and reaches a verdict which is then compared to the verdict of the real jury.
Although the jury continues to have much symbolic importance in the English legal system, in practice its role has been greatly dimished5 over recent years.
Notes to the Text
A person who gives evidence in court
Just, fair; not favouring one side more than the other
Closely) connected with what is being discussed, done, etc.
Decision reached by a jury
Make or become less
To be read after Text 4, 5
Judges
Judge is a public officer with authority to hear and decide cases in a law court. In the British system of law judges are chosen from lawyers who have gained considerable experience as legal practitioners before being appointed to the judiciary.
Judges must be independent of the parties to a dispute (this ensures a fair and just trial). They must be independent of the executive. This enables the judges to exercise control over government action. Judges must be free of any political bias (, ).
Most of the work of the judges is judicial in the sense that they have to adjudicate upon disputes. To do this they are required, impartially, to find the facts based on the evidence presented to the court, to apply the law to the facts and then to give the right decision. Their role is therefore limited to ensuring that there is a fair trial, reaching a decision on the fact as presented to them and applying this to the law.
Judges do not investigate the cases they are trying but they do not play a completely passive role; they may, sometimes, question witnesses and they must ensure that the trial is conducted according to the rules of procedure and evidence.
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A
abolish [a'bolij] v ; ;
accused [a'kju:zd] n
adjudicate [a'cfeudikert] v ,
alter ['o:lta] v ();
appeal [e'pi:l] n ; ; ; v , , ; ~ court (Appellate court)
apportion [a'po.Jan] v ; , (, )
argue ['a:gju:] v ; assessment [a'sesmant] ; ; reassessment
attorney [e'te:ni] ; ;
barrister ['baenste] ;
behaviour [bi'heivja] bind [baind] v , ;
blame [bleim] ;
breach [bri:tj"] n (, )
burglar [:1] n -,
burglary [:1]
case [keis] , ,
cell [sel] civil ['sivl] ; - law ; - code ; - wrong [ror\] charge [tja:d3] v ; to be charged with -
claim [kleim] n ; ; ;
commit [ke'mit] v ()', ~ a crime
Commonwealth Countries ()
content ['kontent] n ; ;
convict ['konvikt] v ; conduct ['kondAkt] ,
court [ko:t]
custom ['kAStem]
D
damages ['daemicfciz] , ; defend [di'fend] v defence [di'fens] ; self - ;
defendant [defendant]
deserve [di'ze:v] v , ;
despite [dis'pait] prep diminish [di'minif] v
E
enforce [m'fo:s] v ; ;
equity ['ekwiti] n ( , , ; )
erase [i'reiz] v ; ( ) erasing
evidence ['evidens] ;
executive [ig'zekjutiv] (the ~) ;
F
fair [fee] ; ;
fine [fain]
G
gain [gein] , ; v , guilty ['gilti]
hear [hie] v , ;
I
impartial [im'pa:Jel] ,
injunction [in'cfeATikJen] , ; innocent ['inesent] intent [in'tent] ,
investigate [m'vestigeit] v
J
N
judge ['(feAcfe] n
judgment/judgement ['cfeAclsment] n ,
judiciary [cfeui'dijieri] n , ; ~ law
jury ['cfeueri] n ( )
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justice ['cfeAStis] ; ;
L
law [lo:] ; case ~ ; common ~ () ; constitutional ~ ; civil ~ ; criminal ~ ; procedural ~ ; statute ~ , ; substantive and procedural ~ ; ~ of contract () ; ~ of employment ; (, )', ~ and order , ; break the ~ ; to lay down the ~ lawmaking body n
lawyer ['b:je] n ,
legal ['Nigel] , ; ~ action
liability [Jaie'biliti] n
loss [los] n ;
M
manslaughter ['maer^sloite] n
murder ['m9:de] n ()
negligent ['negligent] , ,
negligence ['neglicfeens] n , ;
offence [e'fens] , ; ; criminal ~ ; minor ~ ,
paramount ['paeremaunt] , ,
participate [pa:'tisipeit] v
party ['pa:ti] v
petty ['peti] ,
plead [pli:d] v to ~ guilty ; to - not guilty ;
police [pe'lks] ; the ~ station
pose [peuz] v , ( )
prescribe [pns'kraib] v
prison ['prizn] n prisoner n
privileged ['pnvilicfed] ()
probation [pre'beifen] ; ;
procedure [pre'siicfee]
prohibit [pre'hibit] v
property ['propeti] n , ,
prosecute ['prosikju:t] v ;
punish [' v punishment ; capital ~ , ; corporal -
pupil ['pju:pl] ,
R
rape [reip]
recover [n'kAve] v , ;
relevant ['relivent] ;
revision [n'v^en] ,
robber ['robe]
robbery [']
S
sense ['sens] common -
sentence ['sentens] ; v ,
settle ['setl] v {, )
shoplifter ['Jopjifte]
shoplifting
shoulder ['Jeulde] v {, )
solicitor [se'lisite] , ( ; )
striking ['straikirj]
subject [seb'cfeekt] v (, , ); to be - to -
subject-matter -
substance ['SAbstens] , ,
sue [sju:] v ,
supervise ['sju.pevaiz] v ( -);
suspect ['SAspekt] v
suspend [ses'pend] v ;
temporary []
thief [9i:f]
theft [9eft] ,
tort [to:t] ;
treat [tri:t] v ; ;
tribunal [trai'bju:nl] , ,
U
unauthorized ['An'o:9eraizd] ; ;
V
victim ['viktim] ;
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W
will [wil]
witness ['witnis]
wholly ['heuli] adv ,
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