Е. А. Дегтярева

Английский язык в сфере юриспруденции

Учебное пособие

ebooks@prospekt.org

Информация о книге

УДК 811.111(075.8)

ББК 81.2Англ-923

Д26

Автор:
Дегтярева Е. А., кандидат социологических наук, доцент кафедры английского языка Московского государственного юридического университета имени О. Е. Кутафина (МГЮА).

Рецензенты:
Дерюгина И. В., кандидат педагогических наук, доцент кафедры юридического перевода Московского государственного юридического университета имени О. Е. Кутафина (МГЮА);
Лашкова Г. В., кандидат филологических наук, доцент кафедры романо-германской филологии и переводоведения ИФиЖ Саратовского национального исследовательского государственного университета имени Н. Г. Чернышевского.

В учебном пособии содержатся тексты для чтения на английском языке по основным отраслям права, таким как гражданское право, международное частное право. В публикацию вошли материалы по темам (тексты, юридические документы), которые обычно не включаются в учебники по английскому языку, предназначенные для студентов юридических вузов, например по цифровому, медицинскому и спортивному праву. Тексты сопровождаются англо-русским глоссарием юридических терминов, а также вопросами на проверку понимания содержания прочитанного.

Печатается в авторской редакции.

УДК 811.111(075.8)

ББК 81.2Англ-923

© Дегтярева Е. А., 2022

© ООО «Проспект», 2022

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Данное учебное пособие предназначено для студентов юридических вузов, изучающих английский язык в рамках дисциплины «Английский язык в сфере юриспруденции».

Предлагаемые для чтения тексты охватывают такие темы, как:

– гражданское право (включая деликтное право, договорное право, вещное право, наследственное право, семейное право),

– бизнес-право,

– банковское право,

– налоговое право,

– цифровое право,

– право Евразийского экономического союза,

– международное частное право,

– медицинское право,

– спортивное право

– и сравнительное правоведение.

Учебное пособие состоит из 10 глав, каждая из которых включает один текст или более, глоссарий юридических терминов, встречающихся в тексте, и вопросы для проверки понимания содержания прочитанного.

Помимо текстов, заимствованных из статей энциклопедий и журналов, в учебном пособии представлены отдельные документы юридического характера: отрывки из конвенции, международного договора, коммерческого договора и кодекса.

Материал учебного пособия, предназначенный для ознакомительного чтения, позволяет студентам получить представление об основных понятиях и терминах права англоязычных стран по указанной тематике.

Кроме того, с помощью дополнительных заданий данные тексты можно использовать для других видов чтения: изучающего, просмотрового и поискового.

Предлагаемое учебное пособие может также оказаться полезным для тех специалистов, которые сотрудничают с международными организациями и по роду своей деятельности имеют дело с юридическими документами на английском языке.

Unit 1.
CIVIL LAW

Text 1.
Introduction to Civil Law

The term Civil Law is used in either of the two meanings:

1) the system of law concerned with private relations between members of a community rather than criminal, military, or religious affairs.

2) a body of laws and legal concepts derived from Roman law as opposed to English common law, which is the framework of most state legal systems.

This unit deals with Civil law in its first meaning, that is Civil law as opposed to Criminal law. So, Civil law, also known as private law, regulates disputes between private individuals or entities (e.g., companies). It is thus different to cases dealing with matters between individuals and the state, i.e., public law and criminal law. Civil law deals with issues such as personal injury, contracts, property, inheritance and family law.

Word list

derive from | происходить из (от)
framework | основа
entity | организация
personal injury | личный вред
property law | вещное право; нормы, регулирующие имущественные права
inheritance law | наследственное право

Comprehension questions

1. What are the two meanings of the term Civil Law?

2. What is Civil Law as opposed to Criminal Law also known as?

3. What does Civil Law regulate?

4. What legal cases does Civil Law deal with?

Text 2.
Personal Injury Law

Personal injury law,also known as tort law, is designed to protect you if you or your property is injured or harmed because of someone else’s act or failure to act. In a successful tort action, the one who caused the injury or harm compensates the one who suffered the losses.

There are a wide variety of different situations where personal injury rules apply:

Accidents. Personal injury rules apply in situations where someone acts in a negligent manner, and that carelessness causes harm to another person. Examples include car accidents, slip and fall incidents, and medical malpractice, among other types of cases.

Intentional Acts. Personal injury laws apply in situations where a defendant’s intentional conduct causes harm to another person. Examples of this include assault and battery, and other intentional torts.

Defective Products. When a vehicle component, consumer product, medical device, pharmaceutical, or other product is defective or unreasonably dangerous, anyone harmed by use of the product might be able to file a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer.

Defamation. Personal injury laws apply when one person’s defamatory statement causes harm to another.

Word list

tort law | деликтное право
to injure | причинить вред (человеку)
to harm/to cause harm | причинить ущерб (человеку или предмету)
to suffer losses | нести потери/убытки
negligent manner | небрежное отношение, небрежность
carelessness | неосторожность, халатность
slip and fall incident | несчастный случай
medical malpractice | нарушение медицинской практики, врачебная ошибка
intentional act | преднамеренное/умышленное действие
assault and battery | нанесение телесных повреждений, нападение и нанесение побоев
vehicle | транспортное средство
product liability | ответственность производителя

Comprehension questions

1. What is Personal Injury Law also known as?

2. What is the purpose of Personal Injury Law?

3. What situations are personal injury rules used in?

4. What are common personal injury lawsuits?

Text 3.
Contract Law

Contract, in the simplest definition, is a promise enforceable by law. The promise may be to do something or to refrain from doing something. The making of a contract requires the mutual assent of two or more persons, one of them ordinarily making an offer and another accepting. If one of the parties fails to keep the promise, the other is entitled to legal redress. The law of contracts considers such questions as whether a contract exists, what the meaning of it is, whether a contract has been broken, and what compensation is due the injured party.

There are different types of contracts:

— Express and Implied Contracts

— Unilateral and Bilateral Contracts

— Unconscionable Contracts

— Adhesion Contracts

— Aleatory Contracts

— Option Contracts

— Fixed Price Contracts

Express and Implied Contracts

An express contract has terms that are stated expressly, or openly, in either writing or orally, at the time of contract formation. These are the kinds of contracts that most people think of when they think of contracts.

Implied contracts, on the other hand, have terms that must be inferred by actions, facts, and circumstances that would indicate a mutual intent to form a contract. Such contracts may be as binding as express contracts, despite their lack of formal agreement.

Unilateral and Bilateral Contracts

Unilateral contracts involve only one party promising to take action or provide something of value. These are also known as one-sided contracts, and a common example of them is when a reward is offered for something being found: the party to whom the reward is offered is under no obligation to find the lost item, but if they do find it, the offering party is under contract to provide the reward.

Bilateral contracts, on the other hand, involve both parties agreeing to exchange items or services of value. These are also known as two-sided contracts and are the kind of contract that is most commonly used.

Unconscionable Contracts

Unconscionable contracts are contracts that are considered unjust as they unfairly give advantage to one side over the other. Examples of elements that may make a contract unconscionable include:

– A limit on the damages a party may receive for breach of contract.

– A limit on the rights of a party to seek satisfaction in court.

– An inability to have a warranty honored.

Whether or not a contract is unconscionable is a matter left for interpretation by the courts.

Adhesion Contracts

An adhesion contract is one that is drafted by a party with a great deal more bargaining power than the other party, meaning that the weaker party may only accept the contract or not. Often called “take it or leave it” contracts, these contracts lack much, if any negotiation, since one party will have little to nothing to negotiate with. Such contracts should not be confused with unconscionable contracts, since a lack of bargaining power does not necessarily mean that the terms set out will be unfair. That said, courts may still not enforce adhesion contracts if they believe a meeting of the minds never existed.

Aleatory Contracts

Aleatory contracts are agreements that are not triggered until an outside event occurs. Insurance policies would be examples of this, as they are agreements involving fiscal protection in the face of unpredictable events. In such contracts, both sides assume risks: the insured that they are paying for a service they will never receive, and the insurer that they must pay out potentially more than they receive from the insured.

Option Contracts

Option contracts allow a party to enter another contract with another party at a later time. Entering into a second contract is called exercising the option, and a good example of this is in real estate, where a prospective buyer will pay a seller to take a property off the market, then, at a later date, have a new contract made to buy the property outright, should they choose to do so.

Fixed Price Contracts

Fixed price contracts involve a buyer and seller agreeing on a fixed price to be paid for a project. Also known as lump sum contracts, these contracts entail a great deal of risk for the seller, since if the project takes longer or is more extensive than anticipated, they will still only be paid the agreed-upon price.

Word list

promise | обязательство
enforceable | имеющий исковую силу
to refrain from | воздерживаться от какого-л. поступка
mutual assent | обоюдное согласие, совпадение намерений сторон
be entitled | иметь право
legal redress | возмещение по суду
to break a contract | нарушить договор
express contract | положительно выраженный договор (в устной или письменной форме)
implied contract | подразумеваемый договор
unilateral contract | односторонний контракт; контракт, перед заключением которого одна из сторон уже выполнила почти все свои обязательства
bilateral contract | двусторонний договор (контракт, в котором участвуют две стороны, связанные взаимными обязательствами)
unconscionable contract | недобросовестный договор
adhesion contract | договор присоединения
aleatory contract | контракт на основе случая: контракт, который может принести гораздо больше пользы, чем его стоимость (напр., любой страховой контракт)
option contract | опционный контракт (контракт, предоставляющий покупателю право, но не обязательство, купить или продать базисный актив к (или на) определенной (-ую) дате (-у) по определенной цене. За это право покупатель платит премию.
fixed price contract | контракт с фиксированной ценой
lump sum contracts | договор с единовременной оплатой
term | условие
to state expressly | указать прямо, четко прописать
to infer | делать заключение, делать вывод
binding | обязательный
lack | отсутствие
something of value | что-то ценное
reward | вознаграждение
damages | возмещение убытков
breach of contract | нарушение договора
to seek satisfaction in court | требовать/искать удовлетворения в суде
to honor a warranty | соблюдать гарантию
bargaining power | позиции на переговорах
to draft a contract | составить договор
“take it or leave it” | принять что-либо или отказаться от этого; либо да, либо нет
since | зд.: так как
a meeting of the minds | обоюдное согласие
to trigger a contract | инициировать контракт
insurance policy | страховой полис
fiscal | финансовый
unpredictable events | непредсказуемые события
to assume risks | брать на себя риски
the insured | застрахованный
the insurer | страхователь
real estate | недвижимое имущество
to anticipate | ожидать
to entail | повлечь за собой

Comprehension questions

1. What is a contract?

2. What does the making of the contract require?

3. What questions does Contract law consider?

4. What is an express contract?

5. What terms do implied contracts have?

6. What is a unilateral contract?

7. What is an example of a unilateral contract?

8. What do bilateral contracts involve?

9. What elements may unconscionable contracts include?

10. Why are adhesion contracts often called “take it or leave it” contracts?

11. What kind of agreements are aleatory contracts?

12. What are option contracts?

13. What are fixed price contracts also known as?

14. What do fixed price contracts entail?

Text 4.
Elements of a Legally Binding Contract

Contract law requires certain elements of a legally binding contract to be met in order for the agreement to be enforceable. Regardless of the type of contract, if any of these four elements is not met, the contract may not be enforceable.

Offer

An offer must be made in a contract. Such an offer may be to exchange goods or services for something of value, or an offer to act or refrain from acting in a certain manner. For example, a construction contractor offers to build a house in exchange for a specified amount of money. An offer may be made in person, or in writing.

Acceptance

Acceptance is the agreement of the other party to the offer presented. In most contracts, the method of signaling acceptance is left open. While in many contracts, both parties add their signatures to demonstrate their agreement to the terms, others assume an acceptance of the offer to be made when one or both parties perform their duties under the contract.

Consideration

All parties to any contract must provide the other parties something of value, which entices the other party to enter into the agreement. The “something of value” is referred to as “consideration”, and it does not necessarily need to be money. For example, Paul agrees to give Nancy his swimming pool in exchange for daycare services in her home.

Competency

All parties entering into a contract must have a legal capacity, or competency, to do so. Each must be able to understand his legal liability and responsibilities under the contract. This prevents someone from taking advantage of minors and those who are mentally incapacitated, as these individuals cannot legally enter into an enforceable contract.

Mutuality

Under the doctrine of mutuality, all parties must be willing, and have an intent, to perform their obligations under the contract at the time it is made. Without mutual intent, neither party would be bound by the contract. Additionally, mutuality requires any cancellation of a contract to be agreed to by all parties involved.

Word list

offer | оферта
acceptance | акцепт, принятие предложения
consideration | встречное удовлетворение
to entice | побудить
legal capacity / competency | правоспособность
minor | несовершеннолетний, не достигший 18 лет
mentally incapacitated | с умственными недостатками, умственно отсталый
mutuality | взаимность, обоюдность
additionally | дополнительно
cancellation of a contract | аннулирование контракта

Comprehension questions

1. What are the elements of a legally binding contract?

2. Is an offer connected only with exchange of goods or services for something valuable?

3. What is an acceptance?

4. What are the methods to demonstrate acceptance?

5. Does consideration always mean money?

6. What is competency also known as?

7. What individuals cannot enter into an enforceable contract?

8. What is mutuality?

Text 5.
Property Law

Property law deals with principles, policies, and rules by which disputes over property are to be resolved and by which property transactions may be structured.

What distinguishes property law from other kinds of law is that property law deals with the relationships between and among members of a society with respect to “things.”

The things may be tangible, such as land or a factory or a diamond ring, or they may be intangible, such as stocks and bonds or a bank account.

Property law, then, deals with the allocation, use, and transfer of wealth and the objects of wealth. As such, it reflects the economy of the society in which it is found.

Since it deals with the control and transfer of wealth between spouses and across generations, property law also reflects the family structure of the society in which it is found.

Finally, because it deals with such fundamental issues as the economy and the structure of the family, property law also reflects the politics of the society in which it is found.

Word list

property | имущество; собственность
tangible property | материальное имущество
intangible | невещественный (об активе, который не имеет материального выражения, но способен приносить доход)
stocks | брит. государственные ценные бумаги
bond | облигация
bank account | банковский счет
allocation | размещение
spouse | супруг(а)

Comprehension questions

1. What does Property law deal with?

2. In what ways is Property law different from other kinds of law?

3. What things are called tangible?

4. What category do stocks and bonds or bank accounts belong to?

5. What other areas of law is Property law connected with?

Text 6.
Inheritance Law

Inheritance law refers to property acquired through the laws of descent and distribution. Though sometimes used in reference to property acquired through a will, the legal meaning of inheritance includes only property that descends to an heir through intestacy, when a person has died intestate. Any part of a person’s estate not disposed of by a valid will or trust is overseen by a probate court following each state’s laws of intestate succession.

Generally, only a decedent’s spouse and relatives are entitled to an inheritance. A living spouse is usually entitled to the largest share of the estate, or the entirety if a decedent had no children. In the event a decedent had no living spouse, the estate is divided between surviving issue, either by right of representation or per capita. In the event a decedent had neither a living spouse nor any surviving issue, their estate would pass to the next closest relative or relatives, or to the state if no relative can be found.

Intestate succession laws vary from state to state. While who qualifies as a spouse or child–and thus entitled to an inheritance–is usually straightforward, there can be some variations, such as in states that recognize common law marriage or unadopted stepchildren as intestate heirs.

Word list

to acquire | приобретать
laws of descent and distribution | законы о наследовании и распределении имущества
will | завещание
heir | наследник
intestacy | отсутствие завещания
to die intestate | умереть, не оставив завещания
to dispose of | распоряжаться
a valid will | имеющий законную силу завещание
trust | управление имуществом по доверенности
to oversee | надзирать, контролировать
a probate court | суд по наследственным делам
intestate succession | наследование при отсутствии завещания
decedent | умерший
entirety | зд: все имущество
surviving issue | оставшийся в живых потомок
by right of representation | по праву представления, по праву законного преемства
per capita | на душу населения
common law marriage | незарегистрированный /гражданский брак (основанный на совместном проживании супругов и их обоюдном согласии вести общее хозяйство и считать себя семьей без государственной регистрации брака)
unadopted stepchildren | неусыновленные приемные дети

Comprehension questions

1. What does Inheritance law refer to?

2. What does the legal meaning of inheritance include?

3. What cases does a probate court consider?

4. Who is entitled to an inheritance?

5. How is the estate divided if a decedent had no living spouse?

6. Who would the estate pass to if no relative can be found?

7. What are some variations of intestate succession in different legal systems?

Text 7.
Family Law

Family law is body of law regulating family relationships, including marriage and divorce, the treatment of children, and related economic matters.

In the past, family law was closely connected with the law of property and succession (see property law), and, judging from the records available, it must have originated principally in the economic and property questions created by the transfer of a female from her father’s family to the power and guardianship of her husband. Even with regard to the relationship between parent and child, legal concepts such as guardianship, custody, and legitimacy were associated with family power structures and family economic interests. Family law also traditionally has to do with matters of personal status —for example, the question of whether a person is to be considered married or single, legitimate or illegitimate—though the incidents and importance of these distinctions often derive from the law of property.

Family law shares an interest in certain social issues with other areas of law, including criminal law. For example, one issue that has received considerable attention since the late 20th century is the very difficult problem of violence within the family, which may take the form of physical violence by one adult member on another or by an adult on a child or some other violent or abusive conduct within a family circle. In serious cases the only real solution may be to terminate cohabitation or to remove an abused child from the family unit into some form of public or foster custody.

Word list

divorce | развод
treatment of children | обращение с детьми
available records | имеющиеся данные учета
guardianship | попечительство
custody | опека
legitimacy | законность
distinction | отличие
violence | насилие
adult | совершеннолетний
abusive conduct | оскорбительное поведение
to terminate cohabitation | прекратить совместное проживание
to remove a child from a family | забрать ребенка из семьи
foster custody | опека в приемной семье

Comprehension questions

1. What does Family Law regulate?

2. What law was Family law closely connected with in the past?

3. What was the probable origin of Family law?

4. What legal concepts were also associated with family economic interests?

5. Are matters of personal status always very important in Family law?

6. Why does Family law share an interest in certain social issues with Criminal law?

7. What is the only solution of the problem of violence within the family in serious cases?

Unit 2.
BUSINESS LAW

Text

Business law, also called commercial law or mercantile law, is the body of rules, whether by convention, agreement, or national or international legislation, governing the dealings between persons in commercial matters.

Business law falls into two distinctive areas: (1) the regulation of commercial entities by the laws of company, partnership, agency, and bankruptcy and (2) the regulation of commercial transactions by the laws of contract and related fields.

In civil-law countries, company law consists of statute law; in common-law countries it consists partly of the ordinary rules