专业英语讲义chap 2A

1、Chapter 2. Overview of Legal Systems around the WorldContentsI.I.Overview of Overview of Legal System Legal System around the world (5)around the world (5)II. II. Classification Classification of Law in the United States (3)of Law in the United States (3) III. The Legal System in the United States a

2、nd the III. The Legal System in the United States and the Protection of Individual Rights Protection of Individual Rights IV. IV. Business Structures Business Structures in the Modern Environment (3)in the Modern Environment (3)V. Contract Law in the United States (4)V. Contract Law in the United St

3、ates (4) I. The Five Types of Legal System Organized societies throughout the world operate within various types of legal systems which can be broken down into five broad categories（全世界有组织的社会的各类（全世界有组织的社会的各类法律可以分为五大类）法律可以分为五大类）: uCommon law（普通法）（普通法）uCivil law（民法）（民法）uSocialist law（社会主义法律）（社会主义法律）uI

4、slamic law（伊斯兰法）（伊斯兰法）uHindu law（印度法）（印度法）Common lawu United States, Britain, former British coloniesu Predominant characteristics: its dependence on judicial decisions, developed over a period of time.u It emphasize the principle of stare decisis (照章办事照章办事), that is, the authority of prior decision

5、s in resolving current cases.Words: colony (殖民地殖民地)； predominant (主要的主要的)； judical (审判的审判的)； authority (权利权利) Civil lawu France, Spain and Germany, base their systems on comprehensive legal codes that grew out of the Roman Justinian Code（罗马查士丁尼法典）（罗马查士丁尼法典）u Most Latin American countries have adopte

6、d it.u The role of court decisions, is minimized.Words: minimize (减小减小)； influence (影响影响)； Socialist lawubased on the teachings of Karl Marx（马克思）（马克思） and his followers. uCzarist system（俄国帝制系统）（俄国帝制系统） was replaced by a system of Peoples Courts staffed mostly by members of the Communist Party.uForma

7、l legal code, civil and criminalWords: base on (基于基于)； peoples court (人民法庭人民法庭); criminal(刑法刑法) Islamic lawudirectly influenced by religious doctrine（宗教信条）（宗教信条）uWhen it is the predominant legal system, all citizens must obey it, whether they are Muslims or not.u Punishment for violation is fast and

8、 sometimes harsh by western standards.Words: religious (宗教的宗教的)； doctrine(教条教条); enforce (强制执行强制执行)；violation(违反违反) Hindu lawu prominent primarily in Indiauderived from the British Common Law.udeals primarily with family matters and property successionWords: prominent (显著的显著的)； derive from(衍生衍生); de

9、al with (处理处理)；property(财产财产)； succession (继承继承)； independence (独立独立) Is there a best legal system? Give an example if you think there is, and explain why if you think there is not.Words: tend to do sth. (趋趋向向与与做某事做某事)； criticize(批判批判) II. Classifications of Law in the United statesu Public Law vers

10、us Private Law （公法与私法）uSubstantive Law versus Procedural Law（实体法与程序法）uCivil Law versus Criminal Law（民法与刑法）Words: classify; segment (划分划分) Public Law versus Private Lawu Public law: involves the relationship between government and citizens (including businesses).uPrivate law: resolves disputes betwee

11、n citizensuIn the United States, the government has intervened and modified agreements that citizens and businesses made among themselves.Words: breach a contract (违反合同违反合同)；resolve disputes (解决纠纷解决纠纷)； Plaintiff (原告原告)；defendant (被告被告); employment discrimination(雇佣歧视雇佣歧视) anticompetition (反竞争反竞争)；

12、price collusion (价格串通价格串通) Substantive Law versus Procedural Lawu Substantive law：concerned with the laws that define，describe，regulate and create the rights and responsibilities of the parties to a lawsuit.uProcedural law：relates to ways in which substantive laws are enforced against violators.（met

13、hods used to resolve disputes among citizens）Words: be concerned with (关于关于) ; Lawsuit (诉讼诉讼)； violator (违反者违反者) Civil Law versus Criminal Law Differences between civil law and criminal law:uSanctions against a civil case are generally monetary whereas in criminal court the penalties include not onl

14、y fines but imprisonment or even execution.u The burdens of proof : -criminal case: state -civil case: plaintiffWords: sanction (制裁制裁)； penalty （惩罚）；（惩罚）； imprisonment (关押关押); execution （处决）（处决）; beyond doubt (毫无疑问毫无疑问)； commit a tort (犯民事侵权犯民事侵权)； entitle to (赋予赋予权利权利) III. The Legal System in the

15、United States and Protection of Individual RightsThe legal systemFederal联邦政府Thirteen circuits13个巡回法庭District courts 地区性法庭Appellate courts 上诉法庭States州Bill of rights(权利法案)：Freedom of speech and press; (言论出版自由)The right of peaceable assembly（和平集会权利）The Equal Protection Clause (平等保护条款平等保护条款)uA state can

16、 not deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of laws.u Not all discrimination is forbidden.u Three standards for evaluating equal protection claims - The Strict Scrutiny test - Intermediate Scrutiny test - Rational Basis testWords: deny (否认否认)； discrimination（歧视）；（歧视）；scrutin

17、y(审查审查) Due processu United states constitution provide that government can take a persons life, liberty or property only when it has provided that person with substantive and procedural due process. u substantive due process: clarity (vague)u procedural due process : reasonable notice and a fair he

18、aring Words: due (诉讼诉讼)； statute (法令法令)； impartial （公正的）；（公正的）； fact finder(实地调查实地调查) Right to Juryu When any party to a suit（诉讼案件）（诉讼案件） requests a jury, the judge must comply.u juries tend to have an anti-management bias.u two way: -place a limit on the amount of punitive damages -binding arbitrat

19、ion Words: judge (法官法官)； jury （陪审团）；（陪审团）； bias (偏见偏见)； punitive (处罚的处罚的)； monetary cap (金钱限额金钱限额)； binding arbitration (有约束力的仲裁有约束力的仲裁) Protection of Intellectual Property RightsFour types of intellectual property rights:u Patent (专利专利)u Copyright（版权）（版权）uTrademark （商标）（商标）uTrade secrets （商业机密）（商业机

20、密） Patent & Copyrightu A patent is a grant from the government that gives an inventor the exclusive right to make, use and sell. (20 years) - Design: 14 yearsu A copyright is an intangible property right granted to the author of a word that falls into one of the following categories.1.literary w

21、orks 文学作品2.musical works 音乐作品3.dramatic works 歌剧作品4.pantomimes works 哑剧作品5.pictorial, graphic and sculptural works 画报、图形和雕塑作品6.film and other audiovisual works 电影和其他视听的作品7.sounds recordings 声音的录音 Trademark & Trade Secretsu Trademark: a distinctive mark , motto, or emblem that its creator stamps

22、, prints, or otherwise affixes to the goods it produces so that they may be identified on the market and their origin vouched for.uTrade secrets include such information as client lists, plans, pricing information, research and development, marketing techniques, and production methods.u Unlike copyr

23、ights and trademarks, trade secrets extended to both ideas and their expression and do not require registration. IV. Business Structures in the modern Environmentu Sole proprietorship (单一业主制单一业主制) (no formalities are required)uPartnership （合伙）（合伙） (individually personally liable for partnership obligation) - Limited Partnership (without risking anyth