Constitutionality of removals of magistrates in the Commonwealth Caribbean

This article considers the constitutional protections provided to magistrates in the Commonwealth Caribbean. It explores decisions of the Privy Council that have stated that: first, removal of magistrates could only be made where there is reasonable cause for such removal after proper inquiry into the matter; and, second, contractual damages are payable for breach of contract but vindicatory damages are also payable to vindicate the constitutional right of the magistrate. The article also considers the relationship between the contractual provisions by which the services of magistrates might be terminated and the provisions of the Constitution relating to removal of magistrates. Additionally, it examines the question of whether short-term and temporary contracts for magistrates are permissible under the Constitution.     

Developments in judicial protection of human rights in the Commonwealth Caribbean

Judicial protection of fundamental rights in the Commonwealth Caribbean is identifiable in recent decisions in the areas of: vindicatory damages; discrimination and mala fides; proportionality; and the independence of Magistrates. Under vindicatory damages, the courts recognise the need for non‐compensatory damages for breaches of fundamental rights. In the area of discrimination judicial decisions indicate a movement towards the removal of the requirement of proof of mala fides for an allegation of unequal treatment by a public authority. Also of note are the introduction of proportionality and protection against contracting out of Constitutional rights, with regard to magistrates and their tenure.     

Law reform: in the Commonwealth,in small states and in the Caribbean

This paper first outlines the constitutional methods of law reform in the Commonwealth as a whole, in small states like those of the Caribbean, and in the Caribbean itself. It considers possible ways in which small states, which tend to have especially limited human and financial resources, might still be able to make greater use of independent law reform. The possibilities include the establishment of more Law Reform Agencies (LRAs), and greater regional co‐operation in law reform or even a Regional Law Reform Agency (RLRA). In this regard, it raises several issues for consideration, in its concluding paragraphs.     

Privacy in Commonwealth Caribbean law: emerging trends in the protection of sexual citizenship

This article will explore the three recent judgments of Jovil Williams and Jason Campbell v AG of St. Christopher and Nevis & Chief of Police;¹1 Suit No: NEVHC 2013/0120, Williams J, (Supreme Court of St. Kitts Nevis, 21st March 2016) (unreported).View all notes Caleb Orozco v AG of Belize²2 Claim No. 668 of 2010 (Supreme Court of Belize, 10th August, 2016) (unreported).View all notes and Therese Ho vs Lendl Simmons³3 High Court Claim CV.2014-01949 (Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago, 26th October, 2015) (unreported) [32].View all notes which have broken new ground in constitutional law and the law of torts concerning the protection of (the right to) privacy. It is argued that these judgments hold substantial promise towards the making of a meaningful sexual citizenship in the Caribbean; a citizenship which protects the sexual autonomy of citizens and prevents or redresses the invasion or breach of these rights.     

Judicial Supervision of Administrative Acts

Citizens of the USSR enjoy a broad range of socio-economic, political, and personal rights. State organs, social organizations, and officials have the function of protecting those rights and respecting persons. The idea of strengthening the legal foundation of state and social life is clearly expressed in the USSR Constitution: "The Soviet state and all its bodies function on the basis of socialist law, ensure the maintenance of law and order, and safeguard the interests of society and the rights and freedoms of citizens" (Article 4, Paragraph 1).     

论审判监督的法理基础--从中外法官的监督制约和素质对比出发

检察机关审判监督的正当性是法学界一个争议激烈的问题。许多专家学者从宪政体制、刑事诉讼规律等方面对审判监督的正当性进行了论证,然而鲜有从中外法官所受的监督制约以及素质差异对比分析的角度进行探讨。笔者认为,正是中外法官在监督制约和素质方面的巨大差异,使在西方发达     

关于人大对司法监督的思考

人大监督司法有着充分的必要性和可行性,同时人大对司法的监督也必须纳入法制化的轨道。党的十六大把发展社会主义民主政治,建设社会主义政治文明作为全面建设小康社会的重要目标之一。政治文明的建设必须着重加强制度建设,实现社会主义民主政治的制度化、规范化和程序化。法制化作为民主政治建设规范化和严格程序化的良好的制度选择之一,应当成为人大监督司法的趋势和方向。将人大对司法的监督纳入法制化的轨道,不仅可以制约监督权的行使,而且可以提高监督权的公信力和行使效益。构建人大监督司法的理论框架,总结人大监督司法的经验教训,思考人大监督司法的实现途径,具有非常重要的理论意义和实践价值。     

试论媒体监督与司法独立

媒体监督对于司法独立而言,是一把“双刃剑”。随着社会的发展和公民法制观念的增强,新闻界和司法界的互动日趋频繁,随之也带来了许多亟待研究与解决的问题。应借鉴中外媒体监督与司法独立关系的理论与实践,协调两者的关系,以实现其“双赢”和司法公正的目标。     

Redressing supremacy: challenging traditional notions of standing in the Commonwealth Caribbean Bills of Rights

The standing requirements under the Constitutions of the Commonwealth Caribbean require an applicant to allege a contravention of the Bills of Rights ‘in relation to him’, so he must be personally affected. This would exclude lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex organisations from initiating constitutional challenges for which legal challenge by personally affected individuals are unlikely. This article will explore the scope of the supreme law clause in these constitutions, which provide that the constitution is the supreme law and any law inconsistent with it is void to the extent of its inconsistency, as an interpretative tool for the standing requirement and as a standalone redress clause.     

试谈传媒监督与司法公正

近年来,随着我国司法改革的不断深入,司法公正的呼声日益强烈。传媒监督因其居于舆论的主导地位而成为我国加强司法监督、促进司法公正的一支重要力量,对遏制司法腐败、维护社会正义发挥了积极的作用。然而,由于缺乏对传媒监督的制约机制,传媒监督对司法公正造成的负面影响也不容忽视。因此,正确处理传媒监督与司法公正的互动关系,分析传媒监督存在的误区及原因对构建具有中国特色的传媒监督机制十分必要。     

传媒的公共问责功能与司法独立

传媒与司法的关系是社会主义法治国家建设必须面对和解决好的一个重大的理论和实践问题.本文讨论了传媒作用于司法的机制问题;传媒与司法功能互补的价值基础、实现途径及界限问题;实践中的传媒监督问题.认为两者在价值层面存在着高度的一致性,即它们存在的全部意义都是从社会公正与人权的价值理念中获得说明的.但是,在共同价值的实现方式和途径上,它们又各有其特点,为了使它们在以各自的独特方式追求其共同价值目标的过程中实现功能最大化,在制度安排上,传媒自由与司法独立似乎都是不可避免的.在现代社会,传媒与司法关系的实质是传媒自由与司法独立的制度模式问题.其中必须注意到与传媒相对应的"司法独立"和与其他主体相对应的司法独立是有所区别的.     

行政权力的制约与监督刍议

行政权力是国家权力中最动态、最广泛的一种权力,与社会和公民切身利益具有最直接的联系。而任何有效的权力都有强制力的因素,缺乏有效的制约和监督,就会出现强制力的滥用,行政权力更是如此。行政权力具有正负双重效应,它既能够造福于社会,也隐含着腐败的可能性。历史经验证明,权力不受制约和监督,必然导致滥用和腐败。法治的基本理念之一就是一切权力都需要制约和监督,法治发展的过程就是对权力的有效制约和监督的过程。因此,可以通过扩大司法权对行政权审查的范围、行政机关内部的相互制约、行政审批事项的削减等途径对行政权力进行有效的制约和监督。     

论行政自由裁量权的司法监督

行政自由裁量权是行政权力的重要组成部分,它是行政机关提高行政效率所必须的权限。然而 其灵活性的特征又使它极易被滥用。为此,加强对行政自由栽量权的司法监督就成为保证其合 理运行的有效手段。     

Review of Decisions Through Judicial Supervision

Soviet legislation has established numerous guarantees designed to assure that courts will take only such decisions, and that only such decisions will take legal effect, as reflect the truth about the case tried. The necessary preconditions for establishing the truth in a case are already created at the stage of preparing a case for trial, which stage, under Article 33 of the Principles of Civil Procedure of the USSR and Union Republics, Article 141 of the RSFSR Code of Civil Procedure, and the corresponding articles of the codes of civil procedures of other republics, is obligatory in each case.