Chapter 14 Common Law and the Jury System

Pre-listening Warm-up Questions 1)Do you know anything about the U.S. jury system? 2)Say something about the case of O. J. Simpson. 3)Describe a Chinese court/trial.

Pre-listening Vocabulary and Key Concepts  Read through the sentences and figure out what words would fit in the blanks. Then check your answers by listening to a dictation of the full sentences.  (See the sentences in the textbook on page )

Pre-listening Predictions  Using the pictures in your textbook and the vocabulary exercises as a starting point, write 3 questions that you think you can get answers in the lecture. (Answers vary)

Pre-listening  Note-taking Preparation 1.prelecture reading  no  many Beth Whitehead-Gould 22  no  because of the nature of the law, courts will be obligated to base future decisions on decisions made in this case.

Pre-listening 2. courtroom language a. court reporter b. judge c. witness d. jury f. bailiff g. plaintiff/ prosecutor h. courtroom clerk

Post-listening  Answer the following questions. 1.Under the U.S. legal system, is an accused person guilty until proven innocent or innocent until proven guilty? (Innocent until proven guilty) 2.On which legal system is the U.S. legal system based? (British common law) 3.How many people are ordinarily on a jury? (6-12) 4.In a civil case involving property or contracts, who ordinarily decides who is at fault and how much, if any, must be paid in damage? (a jury) 5.In which kind of trial is the defendant required to testify, civil or criminal? (civil)

Post-listening 6. In which kind of trial must the degree of proof be higher, civil or criminal? (criminal) 7. What is a judge’s main responsibility at a trial? (to see that the trial is conducted according to law) 8. What is the jury’s main responsibility? (to decide whether they believe the testimony that here and whether the evidence presented to them is valid.) 9. What percentage of all legal cases, both civil and criminal, is settled out of court? (about 80%) 10. Why does the state so often allow accused people to plea- bargain? (because it’s difficult to prove people are guilty and because trials are so expensive to conduct.)

Oral Activities Discuss with your classmates on the following questions. 1.Why do people say “trial cost a lot money” 2.Summarize all the words related to court. 3.Summarize the lecture.

Post-listening Written Work  Write a summary of the lecture within 250 words.

Homework Film: Twelve angry men.