To complete the diagram of the federal court system in the USA at first use the information given in brackets and then from the text.

Text.

Choose the meaning of the following words in which they are used in the

II. COMPREHENSION

1. Read the text to answer the following questions:

1. What are the tasks of the federal court system?

2. What types of courts have been created according to the US Constitution?

3. What body created other federal courts?

4. What types of cases does the US Supreme Court hear?

5. What do the federal Courts of Appeals do?

6. What is the jurisdiction of the federal District Courts?

7. What is the term of office for federal court judges?

8. Are state courts inferior to federal courts or not?

1 state

a) the physical or mental condition that someone or something is in;

b) a country considered as a political organization;

с) one of the areas with limited law-making powers that together make up a country controlled by a central government.

2 justice

a) the system by which people are judged in courts of law and criminals are punished;

b) the fair treatment of people;

c) a judge in a law court.

3 case

a) a question or problem that will be dealt with by a law court;

b) a special box used as a container4 for holding or protecting something;

c) all the reasons that one side in a legal argument can give against the other side.

4 party

a) a social event when a lot of people meet together to enjoy themselves;

b) a political organization with particular beliefs and aims, which you can vote for in elections;

c) one of the people or a group of people involved in a legal argument.

5. precedent

a) an official action or decision that can be used to give support to later actions or decisions;

b) something of the same type that has happened or existed before;

c) the way that things have always been done.

3. Explain the following phrases in your own words:

Exclusive jurisdiction, binding precedent, overlapping jurisdiction, intermediate courts.

4. To check your understanding the text, complete each sentence below by choosing the correct answer:

3) The highest court in the country is

a) the Supreme Court;

b) the State Supreme Court;

c) the US Supreme Court.

4) The US President appoints

a) all judges in the country;

b) all federal judges;

c) all judges in the supreme courts.

5) The US Supreme Court has

a) appellate jurisdiction;

b) appellate and limited original jurisdiction;

c) appellate and original jurisdiction.

6) The federal Courts of Appeals hear

a) all kinds of appeals;

b) appeals on points of law;

c) appeals on points of fact.

7) The District Courts decide

a) civil and administrative cases;

b) civil and criminal cases;

c) criminal cases and appeals.

8) A state court may hear any case if it is connected to its

a) criminal law;

b) constitution and laws;

c) civil or criminal law.