nit One 第一单元/1
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/1
American Legal System (1) 美国的法律制度(1)
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/11
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/12
Jackson v. Sports City Stadiums Ltd. 杰克逊诉运动城公司
Peter v. William 彼得诉威廉
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/13
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/14
Unit Two 第二单元/19
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/19
American Legal System (2) 美国的法律制度(2)
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/29
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/30
Sun Computer Technology v. Moon Software 太阳电脑技术公司诉月亮软件公司
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/31
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/31Unit Three 第三单元/35
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/35
Federal Government 联邦政府
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/44
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/45
Extension of Contract (1) 合同延长(1)
Extension of Contract (2) 合同延长(2)
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/46
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/46Unit Four 第四单元/50
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/50
Legal Education in America 美国的法律教育
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/58
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/59
Potts v. Fidelity Fruit & Produce Co. 波茨诉富达果蔬生产公司
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/60
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/60Unit Five 第五单元/64
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/64
English Legal System (1) 英国的法律制度(1)
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/75
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/75
Memorandum of Agreement 协议备忘录
Bids for Telephone Network 电话网络招标
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/76
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/76Unit Six 第六单元/82
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/82
English Legal System (2) 英国的法律制度(2)
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/91
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/91
Disputes over the Film Release Admission 电影发行许可的争议
Purchase of a House 出售房屋
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/93
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/93Unit Seven 第七单元/98
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/98
Law and Morality 法律与道德
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/107
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/107
Anns v. Merton London Borough 安斯诉默顿伦敦区政府
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/108
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/108Unit Eight 第八单元/113
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/113
The Jury 陪审团
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/120
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/121
Alteration of the Accommodation 住宿地的变更
The Hotelkeepers Obligation 饭店管理者的责任
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/122
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/122Unit Nine 第九单元/125
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/125
Defendants Rights: Key Aspects of Modern Criminal Procedure 现代刑事诉讼中的几个主要方面: 被告人的权利
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/135
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/136
Jones v. Hadican 琼斯诉汉迪坎
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/137
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/137Unit Ten 第十单元/141
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/141
The Right to Remain Silent 沉默权
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/150
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/151
Hawkins v. McGEE 霍金斯诉麦吉案
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/152
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/152Unit Eleven 第十一单元/156
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/156
The Law of Property 财产法
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/165
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/166
Brightening Dairies LTD v. Davidson 光明奶制品有限公司诉戴维森
ITEK Corp. v. Chicago Aerial Industries, INC. ITEK公司诉芝加哥航空工业公司
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/167
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/167Unit Twelve 第十二单元/170
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/170
Intellectual Property 知识产权
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/177
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/178
Infringing Copyright 版权侵犯案
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/179
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/179Unit Thirteen 第十三单元/183
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/183
Tort Law 侵权法
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/191
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/192
Discrepancies in Documents 单据不符点案
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/193
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/193Unit Fourteen 第十四单元/196
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/196
Contracts 合同
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/204
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/205
Renewal of a Contract 续展合同
Longterm Agreement 长期协议
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/206
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/206Unit Fifteen 第十五单元/209
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/209
Separate Corporate Personality 公司独立人格
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/217
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/218
Williams v. Natural Life Health Foods Ltd. 威廉姆斯诉自然生活健康食品公司
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/219
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/219Unit Sixteen 第十六单元/223
Part IReading and Understanding 阅读理解/223
Small Claims Court 小额钱债法庭
Part IIPractice of Legal Terms 法律常用词练习/230
Part IIICase Discussion 案例讨论/231
Sale a Cup 杯子出售
Part IVTranslation Practice 翻译实践/231
Part VSimulated Writing 文书套写/232Test One (Unit 1—Unit 8)/235
Test Two (Unit 9—Unit 16)/243
南京展望三校样Unit One··················································································Regard for the public welfare is the highest law.
关注公共利益的法律是最高法律。
There is no general rule without some exception.
任何法律都不能面面俱到。··················································································
Part IReading and Understanding
American Legal System (1)
The American legal system is a common law system1, where cases are settled based on tradition, common practice and interpretation of statutes. As we have already known, as a matter of practice, even in common law countries there are quite a few number of codes of law. But what should be emphasized is that the central feature of the system lies in its reliance on case law or judgemade law. That is, precedents are used as guidance to deal with the same or analogous situations arising today.
The American legal system is originally based on the British legal system2 and the United States Constitution3. Article Ⅲ, Section Ⅰ of the Constitution States that the judicial power of the Untied States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. So in the United States of America, a United States Supreme Court is provided by the Constitution and other courts are established by the U.S. Congress in accordance with the Constitution.
1. Legislation
Law in the United States is composed of case law precedent (prior judicial decisions), just as with the British system, as well as statutory law created by both the federal government and the states.
1.1The United States Constitution
The United States Constitution was drafted in 1787 and was amended 26 times ever since. The Constitution separates the government into the three coordinate branches. The Constitution provides for powers to each of the three branches, as well as the states. In addition it sets limits on the powers of federal and state government.
1.2State Constitution
Besides the United States Constitution, each of the 50 states has also adopted a constitution. The state constitution sets out both the form and operation of government in that state and provides for and sets limits on its power.
法律英语文本教程Unit One1.3Enactment of Legislative Bodies
This includes the Acts of Congress and statutes of state legislatures. The legislatures of each of the 50 states may pass and enforce their own laws without exceeding the principles established by the United States Constitution and the United States Congress. This results in the fact that the state law in the same fields may be different from one to another. For instance, the length of time within which one must commence a civil lawsuit or be timebarred, referred to as the statute of limitations, can vary dramatically from state to state; and various other matters such as how trade secretes or torts are defined also may vary significantly.
1.4Case Law
In a common law country, case law plays a very important part in determining the law that applies to a particular set of facts. In application of case law, the weight that case law is given by a particular court in the United States depends significantly upon the court in which the precedent occurred. For example, when a case is brought in Federal court, decisions of the Supreme Court are obviously the most binding on a particular issue, followed by decisions of the circuit court to which an appeal from a district court lies and finally, prior decisions of the district court itself. In many instances, a district court will look to the law of the appropriate state while rendering a decision in a case where issues of state law are of priority.
2. Court System
There are 51 separate court systems in the United States of America. In addition to the federal court system, each state has a separate system under its own constitution and laws. Each of the 50 states in the United States has, within its borders, both a state court system and a federal court system. Federal and state courts exist virtually sidebyside in every state, and review both civil and criminal cases. There are large areas where the jurisdiction of federal and state courts overlaps. The parties may, at their discretion, decide on the court where they initiate a lawsuit. And there is a choice for the disputes between them as to which of the two systems they should be in.
2.1Jurisdiction4 of the Federal Courts
Federal courts are not courts of general jurisdiction but rather more limited jurisdiction as prescribed by the U.S. Congress. The United States Constitution established the Supreme Court and vests certain original and appellate jurisdiction in it. The courts in the federal court system include Supreme Court, courts of appeals, district courts, courts of claims, courts of customs and patent appeals, customs courts, tax courts and courts of military appeals. The Supreme Court is the highest appellate review for either federal courts or state courts. It also has the original jurisdiction in those cases affecting ambassadors, ministers and consuls and those cases to which a state is a party.
2.2Jurisdiction of the State Courts
Each state has its own court system and each state court system has a trial court level and two levels of appellate review. With reference to the jurisdiction of a court to hear a lawsuit, state courts are courts of general jurisdiction. Hence, as long as the defendant is served notice of the pending lawsuit, a state court may exert personal jurisdiction5 (also referred to as “territorial jurisdiction”) over the defendant and hear any civil matter. A state court may exercise territorial jurisdiction in the following cases: (1) a defendant consents to be used in the state where the state court is located; (2) the defendant is physically present in the forum state; or (3) such state has a statute which authorizes the exercise of territorial jurisdiction over persons or properties outside the states borders; (4) the forum state is where the defendant is domiciled. In addition to the above state courts with general jurisdiction, state courts are also courts with specialized trial jurisdiction, such as criminal courts, circuit courts, civil courts, juvenile courts and probate courts.
2.3Administrative Agencies
In addition to the above court systems, some administrative agencies have been established out of the court system to monitor compliance with various federal statutory schemes and are empowered to commence proceedings or actions for violations of those laws. For example, the United States Department of Justice monitors and investigates compliance with the antitrust laws and is empowered to commence suits on behalf of the United States to remedy or correct violations. The Federal Trade Commission is the governmental agency that monitors compliance with law relating to trade regulations and is empowered to take actions to ensure compliance. The Securities and Exchange Commission monitors compliance with a broad range of laws governing all aspects of securities transactions. Besides, there are other federal administrative agencies with similar functions, such as Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Interstate Commerce Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission, etc.
2.4Arbitration and Mediation
Arbitration is the most traditional and wellknown form used in the dispute resolution out of court. Arbitration is characterized by flexibility and mutual acceptance of means of conflict resolution. But recently, arbitration has been criticized as overly formal, expensive and almost as timeconsuming as traditional litigation. Consequently, commercial parties often seek less formal and more efficient means to settle their disputes, such as mediation.
Mediation is a process in which disputing parties are aided by a neutral third party to attempt to settle their dispute. Mediation, unlike arbitration, is not generally binding. The parties may, however, agree to enter into a settlement agreement. Mediation is voluntary and nonbinding and its process is under the control of the parties themselves. Settlement will be reached only if it is acceptable to all the parties. If mediation fails, the dispute usually will go on to arbitration or litigation.
精彩片段:
1. The Government reforming the legal system. 政府将改革法制列为工作的重点。 2. His lawyer decided to . 他的律师决定向高一级法院上诉。 3. The constitution . 宪法授予总统宣战权。