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There are a few hundred judges, trained as barristers, who preside in
more serious cases. There is no separate training for judges.
In fact, most cases are dealt not by Judges but by lay people, who
are appointed to various tribunals, because of their special knowledge,
experience and good standing. For instance, the majority of minor criminal
cases are judged by Justices of the Peace in Magistrates’ Courts. They are
not legally qualified or paid, but are respected members of the community,
who sit as magistrates part-time. The vast majority of judges are unpaid.
They give up time voluntarily. They are called “Magistrates”, or “Justices
of the Peace” (JPs). There are called 28,000 JPs in England; each of them
works in the court on about 30-50 days a year.
Magistrates are selected by special committees in every town and
district. Nobody, not even the Magistrates themselves, knows who is on
the special committee in their area. The committee tries to draw
Magistrates from as wide a variety of professions and social classes as
possible.
The Lord Chancellor, who is a member of the Government and also
Speaker of the House of Lords, appoints all members of the judiciary. The
Lord Chancellor holds a function similar to that of a Minister of Justice,
although some matters concerning the administration of justice are the
responsibility of the Home Secretary.
Once appointed, Judges are completely independent of both the
legislature and the executive, and so are free to administer justice without
fear of political interference.

Task 5. Find out the meaning of the following words and
wordscombinations, grouping them in column A (“an official”) and
column B (“a body”).
Justice of the Peace, the House of Lords, the High Court, a solicitor,
Magistrates, the Crown Court, Circuit Judges, District Judges, the County
Court, the Magistrates’ Court, Minister of Justice, a barrister, the final
appellate court, the Home Secretary, the Lord Chancellor, the Court of
Appeal, a coroner, a government, an advocate.

Task 6. Complete the sentence by translating the phrases from the
right column.
- розуміння та інтерпретування закону.
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