U.S. Industries v. Director: "claim" versus "condition" in the analysis of workers' compensation cases

Under most workers' compensation statutes, an injury must "arise out of " and "in the course of" employment in order to qualify as a compensable disability. In U.S. Industries v. Director, the Supreme Court held that the Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act must be strictly construed to avoid transforming the compensation system into a form of social insurance. In U.S. Industries, the Court denied a disability claim based on an arthritic condition which was manifested while the worker was at home in bed. This Note contends that the Supreme Court neglected to consider pertinent medical realities when analyzing the causation question. Thus, the decision undermines the overall rationale behind workers' compensation legislation. Nonetheless, the Note argues that the case does not relax the requirement of adequately scrutinizing the causative elements underlying any reasonable claim for disability benefits. An analysis adequately accommodating both medical and legal facts, instead of relying upon the vagaries of statutory interpretation, is necessary to improve the efficiency and fairness of workers' compensation disability determinations.     

刑法中“其他”及“等”略考

刑法条文是以语言为载体来表达一定立法意图的.因而,刑法用语对于理解刑法条文之规定具有重要意义.但是,刑法中大量的"其他"与"等"这些不确定内容词语的使用造成了刑法的确定性下降,对罪刑法定原则构成了威胁.本文以详细的统计数字为基础,考察了刑法中"其他"与"等"的使用情况、存在的问题;并对减少"其他"与"等"的使用、"其他"与"等"的解释权作了探讨.     

我国国际私法关于“公共秩序”立法的审视

"公共秩序"是国际私法上一项必不可少的制度,但它的内涵和外延却具有相当大的弹性和模糊性,这一特性既可以说是它天生的缺陷,更可以说是它的生命力之所在.就当前采用这一制度的各国立法司法实践与国际立法的重要走势及对这种走势的科学分析来看,中国目前的立法将"公共秩序"表述为"社会公共利益"是不准确的,有关立法与司法实践中存在种种不当,须加以改进.     

A burning issue. The Japanese "fire basin"

This article presents two deaths due to acute carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred when charcoal-burning hibachis were used as heating sources in enclosed camping facilities. In both deaths, the levels of blood carbon monoxide saturation were at or slightly below the expected lethal level. Coronary arteriosclerosis may have contributed to one death, while oxygen depletion may have been a contributing factor in the other. These cases illustrate the danger of using such heating sources in enclosed spaces, due to their carbon monoxide-generating capability. We suggest that suitable warnings be placed on the hibachis themselves.     

Mietvertragliche Erhaltungs- und Endrenovierungspflichten nach der 4. "Klausel-Entscheidung"

In einer 4. "Klausel-Entscheidung" wurde jüngst vom 2. Senat – neben der Zul?ssigkeit eines standardvertraglichen generellen Tierhaltungsverbotes in einer Wohnung – auch über die Zul?ssigkeit von in einem Mietvertragsformular enthaltenen Erhaltungs- und Endrenovierungspflichten des Mieters abgesprochen. Im folgenden Beitrag werden die von der Entscheidung diesbezüglich eingenommenen Rechtsstandpunkte n?her analysiert und gewürdigt. Zudem wird ganz allgemein auf den einschl?gigen status quo in der h?chstgerichtlichen Judikatur Bezug genommen und die Sinnhaftigkeit einer legistischen Intervention diskutiert.