Unit 9

A Day in a Civil Court

 Civil law
Establish a proper word order to get the
definition of “civil law”.

Civil law are…

relating individuals
agreements laws to
between people’s rights
and to
 Compare the two definitions.

Civil law are laws relating to people’s

rights and to agreements between
individuals.

Civil law is concerned with disputes

between individuals, and action here is
taken by the aggrieved party.
 Civil Procedure

 procedure activated when one private citizen

or enterprise seeks to bring another to
court for a civil wrong against them, such
as a breach of contract or a tort
 TORT – an obligation NOT arising from a
contract (e.g. negligence)
 Hierarchy of civil courts

Supreme Court

Court of Appeal

High Court of Justice -the first instance for more

serious cases

County Court
making
an appeal
 Who are the “actors” at a civil
court?
1. AN INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN who wants to redress a grievance,
requires compensation for demage or wants to solve
matrimonial or other disputes.
AGGRIEVED PARTY (CLAIMANT (formerly PLAINTIFF,
the person filing a lawsuit)
DEFENDANT, the person being sued
→THE PARTIES TO THE DISPUTES

2. JUDGE (His Honour / Your Honour)

3. A CLERK
4. BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS
 Connect legal terms with their definitions.
to redress The formal way of citing the defendant to appear
nadoknaditi personally in court.
štetu
order for Money that a person ows and should have paid
possession already.
nalog za
preuzimanje
vlasništva
arrears To investigate in detail in order to find evidence.
dugovi
judgement To get reparation or compensation for damage.
summons
sudski poziv
to probe The right to take over property.
istraživati, ispitivati
 Examples: case 1
- the parties: a local radio firm against a customer
who
a) is behind with his hire purchase payments
b) refuses to pay the amount judged by the court on
a previous occasion

Read the case and answer the following questions:

What does the judge do?
What is the order of the judge?
 Analyse the case 2
Which situation lead to the case?
Who is involved?
What is the task of the barristers?
What is the final decision of the judge?
 Describe the case 3
The involved parties are...
The problem is...
The solution involves...
 Expressions from the Unit 9
- an act is regarded as harmful to society
- to take an action against the wrong-doer
- disputes between individuals
- the aggrieved party
- to redress a grievance
- compensation for damage
- the court is presided over by a county
court judge
- the parties to the disputes
- to be behind with hire purchase payments
 Expressions – PART II
- the judge probes for facts
- the judge establishes that...
- the judge orders payment...
- to apportion damege
- to apportion blame as to 60% and 40%
- to cross-question witnesses
- to make an appel to the appeal court
- to make an appeal against the decision of a lawer
court
- right of appeal to the superior court