Unit 3. Jury duty

Text 1: Read the following text and write down Russian equivalents for the words and expressions in bold type:

The fear of jury duty

For Americans, serving jury duty has always been a dreaded chore. There is plenty of history behind this fear. In colonial days, jurors were locked in a small room with no ventilation and were denied food and water in an attempt to inspire a quick verdict. If the jurors returned with the wrong decisions, they too were charged with a crime. As more and more laws were passed, the rules of evidence expanded and trials became longer, which resulted in more technical and increasingly boring hours for jurors. Trial lawyers have tried to change the boredom by replacing endless hours of testimony with computer animation, video reconstructions, color charts and graphics to better explain the evidence.

The judicial system depends on juries. The United States Constitution guarantees its citizens the right to a trial by jury of their peers. When summoned for jury duty, Americans should look upon it as an opportunity to serve their country, their community, and their fellow citizens.

Each year, over 5 million Americans are summoned for jury duty to render verdicts in approximately 120,000 trials.

Prospective jurors are chosen at random from voter registration lists. When people are chosen for jury duty, they are often shown a video tape explaining the jury system or given a HANDBOOK ON JURY SERVICE.

Text 2: The following text comes from a handbook on jury service for the U.S. citizens.

Jury service — an important job and a rewarding experience

The right to trial by a jury of our fellow citizens is one of our most important rights and is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. By serving on a jury, then, you are helping to guarantee one of our most important freedoms.

Your job as a juror is to listen to all the evidence presented at trial and 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 issues that 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 witness a certain question. You should not try to decide these legal issues, sometimes you will even be asked to leave the courtroom while 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 impartial with 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.

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 service and 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.

Exercise 1: Find in the text above the English equivalents for 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. освобождать от обязанностей присяжного

10. подходить для службы в жюри присяжных

11. заслушивать показания

12. исключать из состава присяжных

13. восстанавливать в гражданских правах

14. тщательно и беспристрастно рассматривать дело

15. удовлетворять требованиям

Exercise 2: Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions:

• fellow citizens

• evidence

• to decide the law

• to decide the facts

• courtroom

• common sense

• prejudice

• to be impartial

Exercise 3: Translate the following text into English, paying special attention to the words and expressions in bold type:

Требования, предъявляемые к присяжным заседателям.

В список присяжных заседателей не включаются лица:

- не внесенные в списки избирателей;

- не достигшие к моменту составления списков присяжных заседателей возраста 25 лет;

- имеющие неснятую или непогашенную судимость;

- признанные судом недееспособными.

Из списков присяжных заседателей исключаются:

- лица, не владеющие языком, на котором ведется судопроизводство в данной местности;

- немые, глухие, слепые и другие лица, являющиеся инвалидами;

- военнослужащие;

- судьи, прокуроры, следователи, адвокаты, нотариусы;

- священнослужители.

Exercise 4: The word EVIDENCE has the following meanings in Russian:

1) доказательство

evidence at law — судебные доказательства

2) показания

evidence for the defense — показания свидетелей защиты

3) улики

evidence of crime — улики

4) свидетельство

written evidence — письменное свидетельство

Exercise 5: Match the following English expressions with their Russian equivalents:

evidence in the case evidence on oath to give/offer/introduce/produce evidence to plant evidence to weigh evidence to withhold evidence evidence wrongfully obtained evidence of guilt circumstantial evidence conclusive/decisive evidence expert evidence false evidence first hand evidence insufficient evidence irrefutable evidence perjured evidence physical evidence

a) вещественное доказательство b) давать показания, представить доказательства c) доказательства вины; улики d) доказательства или показания по делу e) доказательства, показания, полученные с нарушением закона f) доказательство из первых рук g) заключение эксперта h) косвенное доказательство i) лжесвидетельство j) ложное доказательство k) недостаточное доказательство l) неопровержимое доказательство m) окончательное, решающее доказательство n) оценивать доказательства o) показания под присягой p) скрыть доказательства q) сфабриковать доказательства

Exercise 6: Study the following Juror's Excuseal/Postponement Form. Imagine that you are a juror not willing to perform your jury duty. Fill in the form stating your own reasons:

JUROR'S EXCUSAL/POSTPONEMENT FORM You may be disqualified / exempt from Jury Duty for the reasons listed below by checking the appropriate item, or enter your request in the area provided DISQUALIFICATIONS FOR JURY DUTY □ Convicted Felon (Civil Rights not Restored) □ Presently under prosecution for a crime □ Not a resident of County □ Not a citizen of the United States You may be EXEMPT from Jury Duty for reasons listed below □ 70 or older and wish to be temporarily excused □ 70 or older and wish to be permanently excused □ Physically unable (Doctor's note must be submitted) □ Parent, not employed full time with custody of child under age 6 □ Expectant Mother □ Served on Jury Duty in past 12 months □ Full-time law enforcement officer I request to be excused or postponed because __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Any request for excusal or postponement must be received at least 7 days prior to your report date. You will be notified by mail regarding the status of your request and postponement date, if applicable. Phone number (Home and Work) _______________ _______________ ______________________ Signature

Text 3: Read the following text and write down Russian equivalents for the words and expressions in bold type: