修宪权的隐含界限问题——美国宪法学理论关于宪法修改界限的争论

在美国宪法理论上,一个久有争论的问题是:对于修宪权而言,除了宪法明确规定的限制外,是否还存在着其他的“隐含”限制?围绕着这个问题的争论,无论在美国宪法理论界还是在宪政实践中,都异常激烈。本文对美国宪法理论界有关修宪权隐含界限问题的争论做了初步阐述。     

论法律发展中的宪法问题

现代国家与社会的法律发展,皆是以宪法发展为核心而递次展开的,凡是缺乏宪法发展的法律发展很可能就是畸形的和扭曲的。所以,宪法是法律发展的核心与关键,法律发展必须以宪法发展为旗帜。在法律制度创新和学科研究发展中,宪法思维与宪法意识不能缺席,我国法律能否获得健康、稳定、持续性的发展,取决于法律职业者所应当具有的宪法思维与宪法意识。而在法律发展中,如何使宪法具有实效,是当下亟待解决的制度问题。     

"Constrained" Constitutional Courts as Conduits for Democratic Consolidation

Many constitutional courts, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, have more power than the "constrained court" model of judicial decisionmaking suggests because they operate in an increasingly international environment. By analyzing the Estonian Supreme Court's adjudication of minority linguistic rights, we show how even a new court can act as a "conduit" for democratic reform by identifying for legislators national constitutional paths along which domestically disliked but internationally defined democratic reforms can be pursued, preserving national integrity while acknowledging international reality. International pressures, while constraining courts, thus can free them from national constraints while allowing them to imprint their own vision.     

论经济法与宪法的协调发展

经济法的发展事关法律体系的结构调整和制度变迁,需要与宪法等各个部门法的发展相协调.“经济宪法”为经济法的发展提供了重要的宪法基础,发展经济法既是宪法规范的要求,又是实施宪法的需要,同时,经济法的发展也有助于宪法的完善和发展.基于经济法与宪法所共有的经济性和规范性,应通过司法判断和非司法判断,不断提升两者的一致性和协调性,全面促进其协调发展.     

全面正确认识全国人大常委会有关政制发展的决定

2004年4月6日全国人大常委会对香港基本法附件一第7条和附件二第3条作出解释；当月26日又作出关於2007年行政长官和2008年立法会产生办法有关问题的决定；2007年12月29日再作出关於2012年两个产生办法及有关普选问题的决定。用最近吴邦国委员长的工作报告上的话，就是“全国人大常委会根据香港基本法的立法原意，对基本法及其附件有关条款作出解释并通过相关决定，对保障基本法正确实施、推进香港民主健康发展、维护香港长期繁荣稳定发挥了不可替代的作用。”     

美国普通法婚姻的起源和兴衰

自9世纪到1563年、10世纪到1753年,普通法婚姻分别在欧洲大陆和英格兰得到了教会的承认。在殖民地时期,英属的部分北美殖民地和西班牙属的殖民地予以承认,英属的另一部分殖民地和法属殖民地未予以承认。美国建国之后到19世纪中后期,大多数州承认了普通法婚姻。到了2005年,只有11个州和哥伦比亚特区予以承认。不复承认的理由主要是:人口集中、交通改善、政府公务人员或牧师不再短缺;承认普通法婚姻危害交易安全、危害种族健康、诱发欺诈行为、危害统计数据的准确;非婚生子女地位得到改善。     

实现宪法司法化，建设现代法治国家

;宪法是我国的根本大法,规定着国家的根本制度和根本任务,但其高度的概括性、抽象性和浓厚的政治色彩使其在实际中缺乏操作性而常常被"虚置".宪法司法化必将有助于强化宪法效力,维护宪法权威,它是依法治国,建设现代法治国家的必然要求.     

论犯罪心理概念的发展对当代美国刑法的影响

从法律发展史的角度,犯罪心理概念在英美法系的发展可以初步概括为三个发展阶段,它的发展与成熟代表了普通法发展和现代化的过程。同时,犯罪心理概念的主导地位的确立直接导致了英美法系主客观相统一原则的形成。当代美国刑法学界对其进行了合理的改造,改造的结果使主客观相统一原则在美国刑事司法实践中更现实,并且致力于平衡公平与效率的关系。因此,主客观相统一原则在英美法系同样扮演着重要角色。     

The Plea of Alibi in International Criminal Law as Viewed Through the Prism of the Common Law

The plea of alibi has acquired a prominent place in the short history of modern international criminal law, just as it does in common law criminal trials. At the ICTR, for instance, it is pleaded in virtually every case. It is expected that alibi will continue to vex the processes of international criminal courts and tribunals, especially given the exclusive focus of international criminal law on individual criminal responsibility, much of which has to do with the presence of accused persons at scenes of planning, conspiracy, instigation, aiding and abetting and execution of crimes. The plea of alibi in international criminal law is still a concept under construction. Jurisprudence is rife with uncertain propositions, tentative analyses and incomplete ideas. In the circumstances, there is a need to pay close attention to this area of the law. A constant review is required, with the aim of improving the law of alibi for its future application in international criminal proceedings. An attempt at such a review is made in the present article. The author reviews, among other things, the meaning of the term ??alibi??; whether it is a ??defence??; the feature of notice of alibi; burdens of proof in alibi cases, the prosecutorial duty to disprove the alibi, the need for clarity in the application of the principle of prosecutorial duty to disprove the alibi, and whether there should be a prosecutorial duty to investigate the alibi when timely notice is given; as well as alibi and the right to silence. The author approaches the discussions from the perspective of the common law, primarily due to the prominence of the plea of alibi in common law criminal trials in contrast to inquisitorial criminal trials.     

Observations on the Development of Human Dignity and Personality in German Constitutional Law: An Overview

This paper provides an overview of the development of the constitutional value of human dignity under German constitutional law. First, it provides a background to the German constitutional order then it places the constitutional value of dignity within the framework of the constitutional court’s jurisprudence on personality rights. It then progresses to an examination of specific cases that have developed personality rights and the importance of the constitutional court’s interpretation of personality and dignity in the personal and outer spheres within the framework of the German legal order. The article concludes with some observations and comparisons between German and American law in this area.     

Planning Facts Through Law: Legal Reasonableness as Creative Indexicality and Trans-categorical Re-configuration

International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique - Legal reasonableness and its theoretical analysis are often gauged on judicial activity....     

修还是不修,大修还是小修--评修宪问题上的两种争议

半年多以来,人们对修宪有颇多谈论.发表和未发表的观点、正式场合和非正式场合表达的看法,统计起来可达百余种,其中颇多有争议之处,但其中最基本的争议只有两种.