《法学专业英语教程（精编版）》U1 Introduction to the American Legal System

UnitOneIntroductiontotheAmericanLegalSystemLessonOne

Law：Definition，Classification，andSourcesDefinitionofLaw

Lawexistsonlyinaformalsettingthatinvolvesthelegislative，judicial，andexecutivearmsofapoliticalbodyanditssystem.

asetofrulesmadebythelegislatureforthepurposeofmaintainingsocialorderenforcedbythejudicialandexecutivebranchClassificationofLawsubstantiveandproceduralpublicandprivatePubliclaw:constitutional，administrative,andcriminalPrivatelaw:contracts,torts,propertyclassificationoflawbysubjectmatter:constitution,contracts,torts,property,…SourcesofLawmethodsandproceduresbywhichaparticularlawiscreatedanddevelopedoriginofalaw’sauthorityorcoerciveforceSourcesofLaw(cont.) SourcesofAmericanlaw:federalandstateconstitutionsstatutesmadebyCongressandstatelegislaturescaselaworjudge-madelawadministrativelawReviewQuestionsInwhatsensearerulesoflawdifferentfrommoralcodes?Lawisamethodofestablishingorderbymaintainingauthorityofaruleroverthoseruled.Commentonthisdefinitionoflaw.Whatarethemainareasofprivatelawifweclassifyitaccordingtosubjectmatter?Classifycontractlaw—Isitsubstantiveorprocedural,publicorprivate,statutoryorcaselaw?HowmanytypesoflawarethereundertheAmericanlegalsystemifweclassifyitaccordingtoitssources?Whatarethey?Whatistheorderofpriorityamongthem?

LessonTwo

DualityintheAmericanLegalSystem

DualityasaresultoffederalismFifty-onesetsoflawsFifty-onesetsofcourtsConflictsoflaw—ChoiceofLaw–ChoiceofForum Differentsetsoflawsinevitablyresultinconflictsoflawinamulti-statedispute.Conflict-of-lawrulesdecidewhichstate’slawwillgovernthedispute.Theplaintiffnaturallywillwanttohaveasapplicablelawthelawofastatemostfavorabletohim.Forthispurposeheshouldchooseaforumwhosechoice-of-lawrulespointtothatstate.Conflictsoflaw—ChoiceofLaw–ChoiceofForum(cont.)HypotheticalExample:AandBhaveenteredintoacontractinState1(A’shomestate),andthecontractistobeperformedinState2(B’shomestate).Adisputearisesoutofthecontract,andAwantstosueB.AfindsthatState1’slawregardingthedisputedissueismorefavorabletohim.State1’schoiceoflawrulesaysthatthelawattheplaceofperformancegovernsacontractdispute.State2’srulesaysthattheapplicablelawforacontractdisputeshouldbethelawofthestatewherethecontractissigned.

IfAbringsthecasetoacourtinState1,thejudgewillapplythelawofState2.AshouldbringthecasetoacourtinState2,inordertohavethejudgeapplythelawofState1.TheStateCourtsTrialcourtsoflimitedjurisdiction–inferiorcourtsTrialcourtsofgeneraljurisdictionReviewofthetrialcourt’sdecision --appellatecourts--supremecourtTheFederalCourtSystem Federalcourtsarecourtsoflimitedsubjectmatterjurisdiction--diversitycasejurisdiction--federalquestionjurisdiction--casesinwhichthefederalgovernmentisapartyTheFederalCourtSystem(cont.)FederalDistrictCourts—aleastoneineachstateUnitedStatesCourtsofAppeals(CircuitCourts),13innumberTheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates--originaljurisdictionoveraverylimitedclassofcases--discretionaryreviewReviewQuestionsWhenwillthechoiceofforumaffecttheoutcomeofalawsuit?Howmanyappealsisapartyentitledto?Whattypesoflawsuitscanbebroughtbeforeafederalcourt?LessonThree

TheAdversarySystem

IntheAmericanJudicialProcess

Thereisbutonetestofagoodsystemofprocedure：Doesittendtothejustandefficientdeterminationoflegalcon-troversies？

TheLawofProcedureDefinition:asetofrulesthatgovernsorprovidestheframeworkofthejudicialprocesswhichguidestheoperationofcourtsinthedeterminationoflegalcontroversies

Pointstonoteintheabovedefinition:

--Thejudicialprocessdealswithrealcontroversies.--Thecommunityisinterestedintheresolutionofthesecontroversies.--Thecontroversiesareresolvedaccordingtosomesetstandards(rulesofsubstantivelaw).--Thestandardsareappliedaccordingtosomefixedrulesknowasprocedure.WhatDotheRulesofProcedureMeantotheLitigatingLawyer? Theyareregulatingandenablinglegislation. --Regulating:Theytellthelawyerwhathemayandmaynotdo. --Enabling:Theyaffordhimthemeanstobringabouttheresultheseeks.TheAdversarySystemasaDistinctiveElementoftheAmericanProcedure TheAdversarySystemvs.theInquisitorialSystemUndertheadversarysystem,thejudgetakesnoactivepartinlitigationanddoesnotmakeinvestigationonhisown;theparties,representedbytheirlawyers,aretheprimaryplayersinlitigation.ArgumentsfortheAdversarySystemAcontestdirectedbyinterestedpartieswillresultinatruerdecision.Thepartiesshouldbeartheburdenofthecost,timeandenergyrequired.Judges’jobismadeeasier.Theyhaveonlytoansweryes-or-noquestions.Theadversarysystembettersatisfiesthehumaninstincttodobattle.ArgumentsAgainsttheAdversarySystem Litigationisreducedtoacostlygame,anditsresulttendstodependontheskillofthelawyerratherthanonthemeritsofthecase.ReviewQuestionsWhatisprocedurallaw?Whatdoesthelawofproceduremeantothelitigatinglawyer?Whatarethemaindifferencesbetweentheadversaryandtheinquisitorialsystems?Commentontheadversarysystemfromajudge’spointofview.Doestheadversarysystemimproveefficiencyinresolvinglegaldisputes?LessonFour

CommencingaLawsuit

Litigationisnotcapableofresolvingeverykindofdisputes.Norisitthebestwaytoresolvedisputes.Isthedisputealegalone,i.e.,istheinjuryorlossoneforwhichthelawprovidesrelief?Whatarethechancesofwinningthelawsuit?Aretherebetterwaystoresolvethedispute?QuestionstoConsider

Beforecommencingalawsuit

ChoiceofForumFederalorState? Thefederalcourtsarecourtsoflimitedsubjectmatterjurisdiction.-federalquestionjurisdiction:plaintiff’sclaimarisesunderafederallaw,or-diversityjurisdiction:disputesbetweencitizensofdifferentstates,and-thethresholdamountChoiceofForum(cont.)Aplaintiffmustchooseacourtwhichhassubjectmatterjurisdictionoverthedisputedmatteraswellasjurisdictionoverthepersonofthedefendant.ChoiceofForum(cont.)VenueStatutes Generally,thecourtselectedmustbeonewhosedistrictincludesthecountyinwhicheithertheplaintiffordefendantlives.

ServiceofProcess/Summons Serviceofprocessmaybecompletedby-personaldelivery-registeredmail-newspaperpublicationWhetherserviceisadequatedependsonwhetherthedefendantisgivenreasonablenotice.Defendant’sResponseMotiontodismiss,challenging --thecourt’sjurisdiction--thevenue--theadequacyofserviceofprocess--thelegalsufficiencyofthecomplaintPleading-in-answer(admissions/denials,affirmativedefenses,andcounter-claims)ReviewQuestionsWhatmustapotentiallitigantconsiderbeforecommencingalawsuit?Whatmustheconsiderinselectingacourt?Whatisserviceofprocess,andwhatisitspurpose?Whatshouldthedefendantdouponserviceofprocess?LessonFive

Pre-trialDiscovery

Americancivilprocedureallowslawyersincivilsuitstogatherinformationfromtheopposingpartyandfromwitnesses.TechniquesofDiscoveryTakingdepositionofpartiesandwitnessServingwritteninterrogatoriesServingrequestsforadmissionoffacts.PurposesofDiscoveryToallowlitigantsaccesstowitnessesandmaterials,andtoremovethesurpriseelementoutoflitigation,sothattheresultofthelawsuitwillbebasedonthemeritofthecase.ToencouragesettlementJudge’sRoleinDiscoveryThejudgetakesnoactivepartindiscovery.Uponmotionofaparty,thejudgemayordertheotherpartytoobeydiscoveryrules.Uponmotionofaparty,thejudgemaymakeasummaryjudgment.Attheendofdiscovery,thejudgemayholdapre-trialconference,atwhichthepleadings，resultsofdiscovery，andprobableevidencearereviewedinanattempttosettlethesuit.AbuseofDiscoveryRules Thescopeofdiscoveryleavesplentyofroomforarichlitiganttoharasshisopponent,tomaneuvertothegreaterorlesserannoyanceandexpenseofthelatter.ReviewQuestionsWhatdoyouthingisthemajordifferencebetweenAmericanandChinesediscoveryprocedures?Whatarethemaindiscoverytechniques?Whatifapartydoesnotcooperatewithdiscovery?Whathappensafterdiscovery?

LessonSix

TheTrial

Inmostactionsfordamages，thepartieshavearighttohavethefactstriedbyajury.TheJuryTrialInmostcases,therighttoajurytrialisassuredinthefederalcourtsbytheSeventhAmendmenttotheConstitution，andisprotectedinthecourtsofmoststatesbysimilarconstitutionalprovisions.Ifthereisarighttoatrialbyjury，eitherpartymayassertit.Inajurytrial,thejuryfindsthefactsandthejudgeappliesthelaw.TheJuryTrial(cont.)ImpanelingtheJuryRandomselectionofprospectivejurorsfromexistinglistsQuestioningtheprospectivejurorstofindwhethertheyarebiasedChallengeforcause,andperemptorychallengePlaintiff’sLawyerPresentstheCaseOpeningstatementDirectandcrossexaminationofplaintiff’switnessesMotionfordirectedverdictDefendant’sLawyerCallsWitnessesDirectandcrossexaminationAdditionalevidencefromplaintifftomeetanynewmatterraisedbydefendant'switnesses.MotionfordirectedverdictbyeitherpartyJuryInstruction/ChargeThejudgeandlawyersconferonthecontentofthejuryinstruction.Thelawyersproposeinstructionsandthejudgeultimatelydecidesonthecontentofjuryinstruction.Lawyersmakefinalargumentstothejury.Intheinstructionthejudgewillsummarizethefactsandissues，tellthejuryabouttheapplicablelawoneachissue，givegeneralinformationondeterminingthecredibilityofwitnesses，andstatewhohastheburdenofproofoneachissueoffact.TheVerdictThreetypesofjuryverdict--generalverdict--generalverdictwithinterrogatories--specialverdictAhungjuryThejudgeusuallyentersjudgmentbasedonthejuryverdict.Buthemayalsomakeajudgmentnotwithstandingtheverdict,uponmotionofthelosingparty.ReviewQuestionsIftheplaintiffisdisabledbydefendant’swrongfulact,shouldthejudgetakecaretoensurethattherewillbeadisabledpersonamongthejurors?Whatistheroleofthejudgeduringthetrial?Atwhatpointsofthetrialmaydefendant’slawyermakeamotiononbehalfofhisclient?LessonSeven

Judgment，Enforcement，andAppealTheJudgmentJudgmentcanbeenteredbefore,duringoraftertrial.Theformsofjudgment:awardofmoney,declarationofrights,specificrecoveryofproperty,orordertodoornottodosomething,incaseswhentheplaintiffwinsIfthedefendantwins,thejudgmentwillonlystatethatplaintiffgetsnothing.Thejudgment(cont.)Whendoesthejudgmentbecomefinal? --(ifnoappealismade,)whenthetimeforappealexpires --(ifanappealismade,)usuallythejudgmentofthereviewcourtisfinal.EnforcementWritofExecutionGarnishment:anordertoathirdpartywhoowesmoneytothejudgmentdebtortopaythemoneyintocourttosatisfythejudgmentAttachment:amethodofassuringdefendant’spaymentbyseizinghispropertypendingtheoutcomeofthelawsuitAppealWhatisappealable?judge’serrorsonquestionsoflawDeterminationoffactsareusuallynotappealable.

Anappellatecourtissupposedtocorrecterrors，nottorenderwhatitthinksisamorejustresultinaparticularcase.

Appeal(cont.) TheappellatecourthasthepowertoAffirmthejudgmentofthetrialcourt,Reversethejudgmentofthetrialcourt,Modifythejudgmentofthetrialcourt,orRemandthecaseforanewtrial.ReviewQuestionsWhatarethetypesofjudgmentsthatareenteredwithoutatrial?Whatisthepre-trialproceedingthatistoensurepaymentofthejudgmentdebt?Whatisgarnishment?