The Court System of the USA The American court system is complex. It functions as part of the federal system. Each state runs its own court system, and no two are identical. In addition, they have a system of courts for the national government. These federal courts coexist with the state courts. Individuals fall under the jurisdiction of two different court systems. They are state courts and federal courts. They can sue or be sued in either system, depending mostly on what their case is about. The vast majority of cases are resolved in the state courts. The federal courts are organized in three tiers, like a pyramid. At the bottom of the pyramid are the US district courts, where litigation begins. In the middle are the US courts of appeals. At the top is the US Supreme Court. There are about ninety-four district courts in different parts of the United States. The district courts are the lowest ones in the Federal court system. Most of the criminal and civil cases are tried by these courts. The district court is the only Federal court where trials are held, juries are used, and witnesses are called. There are about two hundred district judges in the USA. In the middle are the US courts of appeals. At the top is the US Supreme Court. To appeal means to take a case to a higher court. The courts of appeals and the Supreme Court are appellate courts, with few exceptions, they review cases that have been decided in lower courts. Most federal courts hear and decide a wide array of cases; the judges in these courts are known as generalists and they are appointed for life. The Supreme Court hears cases in which someone claims that a lower court ruling is unjust or in which someone claims that Constitutional law has been violated. The U.S. Supreme Court has only nine justices, headed by Chief Justice. The decisions of this Court are final and become legally binding. .
1. Найдите в тексте эквиваленты: иметь свою собственную судебную систему; две различные судебные системы; сосуществовать; попадать под юрисдикцию; суд штата; федеральный суд; окружной суд; апелляционный суд; Верховный суд; судить; общенациональная система судов; подавляющее большинство дел; иметь три уровня; внизу пирамиды; граждане США.
Ex.2 Закончите предложение: 1. The American court system functions as… 2. Each state runs… 3. These federal courts coexist… 4. The vast majority of cases are resolved… 5. The federal courts are organized in… 6. At the bottom of the pyramid are the US… 7. In the middle of the pyramid are the US… 8. At the top of the pyramid is… 9. The district courts are… 10. Most federal courts hear and decide…