1. To discuss the differences between the civil law system and the common 1law system. (P4 )2There are many differences between civil law system and common law 3system.4Ⅰ The original places are different. The civil law system originated 5in ancient Rome, and the common law system originated in England.6起源地不同,民法起源于古罗马,普通法起源于英格兰7Ⅱ The main traditional source of the common law is cases, while the 8main traditional source of the civil law is legislation. Thus there are 9many codes in civil law countries instead of unwritten laws in common law 10system.11普通法的主要传统渊源是案例法,民法的主要传统渊源是成文法。
因此民法国12家用许多成文法典取代普通法国家的不成文法13Ⅲ The civil law system pays more attention to substantive law; the 14common law system pays more attention to procedural rules.15民法法系更多关注实体法,普通法更关注程序规则16Ⅳ The classification of law is different. The civil law is separated 17into public law and private law, the common law is separated into common 18law and equity.19法的分类不同,民法法系分为公法和私法,普通法法系分为普通法和衡平法20Ⅴ The role of judges and professors is another difference. Since theory 21and doctrines is important in legal education of civil law system,22professor plays the important role to expose laws to students. In the 23contrary, case-law is the main source of common law, thus the judges has 24the discretion to make laws while trialing cases.25法官和学者的作用不同,因为理论和学说在民法法系中的重要性,学者在教授26学生法律时十分重要。
相反的,案例法是普通法法系的主要渊源,因此法官在审27理案件时有造法的自由裁量权28Ⅵ The civil procedure: Adversary system (对抗式诉讼)of common law 29system needs the parties to show the case the jury or the judges. And the 30judges need to be neutral and impartial. Inquisitorial system(纠问式31诉讼) in civil law countries give the judges the power to investigate 32the case during the trail and also can ask the parties and the witnesses.33民事诉讼程序:普通法法系的对抗式需要双方把案件展示给法官或陪审团。
法34官应该中立和公正。
民法法系的纠问式诉讼给予法官在审理过程中调查案件的权35力,也可以讯问双方当事人和证人。
362 To discuss the main features of the American court system37(P17-19)38There are fifty-two court systems in the U.S. ----each of the fifty 39states has its own system of courts, one for the District of Columbia and40a federal system. They are independent systems of court.41美国存在52个法院系统,每一个州都有自己的法院系统,还有一个是哥伦比42亚特区的和一个联邦法院系统。
它们都是独立的法院系统。
43In the state court systems, court structures and court nomenclature vary 44from state to state. But all the state court systems exhibit a hierarchical 45structure, in which the decisions of lower courts may be taken for review 46to a higher court. Typically a state system will include several tiers 47of court:48在州法院系统中,法院的结构和名称各不相同。
但所有的州法院系统都是一种49层级结构,低级法院的判决可能被高级法院所推翻,但型的州法院系统通常包括50以下几个层级:511) Trial courts of inferior jurisdiction522) trial courts of general jurisdiction533) appellate courts54下级管辖权的初审法院55普遍管辖权的初审法院56上诉法院57The trial courts of inferior jurisdiction hear civil suits involving 58relatively small amounts of money and minor violations of the criminal 59law. While the trial courts of general jurisdiction can hear all kinds 60of cases, without monetary or subject matter limitation.61下级管辖权的初审法院审理标的额相对小的民事案件和轻微的刑事违法案件。
62普遍管辖权的初审法院审理各种类型的案件,没有数额或标的的限制。
63Every case should first be heard at the trial court. Then the party who 64loses at the trial court stage has a right to appeal case to the appellate 65court. Every state has its court of last resort, the appellate court which 66makes the final decision (subject to occasional review on ―federal 67questions‖ by the Supreme Court of the United States) of what the law 68is and should be. Most states have created intermediate appellate courts, 69empowered to finally dispose of the bulk of appellate cases.70每个案件都应该先在初审法院审理,输掉的一方有权将案件上诉到上诉法院,71每个州都有它的终审法院,受理上诉的法院会作出最终的裁决(受制于美国最高72法院作出的关于联邦问题的临时性的判决对法律的解释)大多数州都有中级上诉73法院,有权最终处理大多数经上诉法院审理的案子。
74The structure of the federal judicial system is similar to what is found 75in the various states. There are three levels of courts:76(1) U.S. district courts (trial courts of general jurisdiction) and 77various courts of limited jurisdiction78(2) U.S. courts of appeals (intermediate courts of appeals), and79(3) the United States Supreme Court. Not like the other courts in federal 80judicial systems which are created by congress, the Supreme Court is 81created by Constitution. There are a few specialized federal courts (e.g. , 82the claims courts or the tax court ) which operate like District court 83in their specialized jurisdiction.84联邦法院的结构类似于各州的结构,分为三层:85有普遍管辖权的联邦地区法院,和有各种有限管辖权的法院86联邦上诉法院(中级上诉法院)和87美国最高法院。