Demand for civil trials and court congestion

This paper examines interactions between how congested courts are, whether potential plaintiffs decide to sue, and whether potential defendants choose to engage in actions that harm potential plaintiffs. We conclude that in the presence of congestion standard delay reduction efforts (higher filing costs, lower damage awards, out-of-court settlement, greater court capacity) may not be effective.     

确立法院对附带民事诉讼选择权的构想

刑事损害赔偿诉讼合并于刑事诉讼中审理的价值目标在于追求效率 ,但只在纯财产性犯罪又不牵涉附带争议的案件中才具有典型意义 ,在人身性犯罪民事争议 (含精神损害 )、“犯罪外行为”民事争议、反诉以及第三人诉讼情形下极易导致刑事诉讼的过分延迟而形成分离的必要。在制度设计上建议引入法院一审终结时选择权并实行一系列相关程序制度改革 ,以最大可能消除我国现行附带民事诉讼制度的诸多弊端。     

Psychiatric expertise in civil commitment: Training attorneys to cope with expert testimony

The learned treatise approach to challenging the psychiatric expert witness in civil commitment proceedings was investigated in the present study. An Ad Litem's Handbook, modeled after Ziskin (1975), was written and distributed to a group of attorneys who also received workshop training in aggressively defending the proposed patients at civil commitment hearings. TheseTRAINED attorneys were compared with control groups of attorneys not receiving the training intervention in terms of trial tactics, cross-examination profiles, and other courtroom behaviors in order to assess the impact of such training and the impact of the learned treatise approach in civil commitment hearings. Results indicated that, in spite of explicit endorsement of such tactics by the court,TRAINED attorneys did not alter their courtroom behaviors significantly in directions suggested by the special training and, like their untrained counterparts, did not aggressively challenge the psychiatric expert whose testimony argued for commitment of their clients.The research reported here is based primarily on the author's doctoral dissertation, completed at the University of Texas at Austin, May 1977. The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of Joseph Horn, Ph.D., dissertation committee chairman and the other members of the committee for their guidance.     

Forensic-medical assessment of diaphysis fractures in childhood

The authors established that special structure of bones in childhood have a significant influence on the fractures of long tubular bones. The formation of unusual fractures shows it. Under condition of low speed of bending in the area of fracture many microfissures are formed, which leads to structural failure of intraosseous microcirculation and osteocytes.     

司法鉴定行政与司法视角的边界——民诉证据司法解释鉴定内容的思考

2019年12月26日,最高人民法院发布了《关于修改〈关于民事诉讼证据的若干规定〉的决定》,备受司法界关注。其中,涉及司法鉴定的条款达24条之多,笔者结合《司法鉴定程序通则》,对相关内容予以了梳理与比较,揭示了民事证据规定给司法鉴定带来的变化与问题。民事证据规定重点规制了司法鉴定启动、受理、鉴定人出庭接受质询、鉴定人诚信承诺、鉴定人权利保障,鉴定人的出庭义务、遵守鉴定时限的义务,以及围绕鉴定资料的真实性、合法性方面的规定,以期保障鉴定质量。与此同时,民事证据规定也带来了管理上的边界之争的问题,包括司法鉴定行政管理部门与法院之间、法院与司法鉴定机构之间,以及法官与鉴定人之间权利义务的边界之争与之推,司法鉴定呈现多头管理已见端倪。本研究直面司法鉴定发展中的问题,建议尽早启动司法鉴定立法工作,强化鉴定意见的法庭质证,明确虚假鉴定的认定标准,梳理鉴定多头管理乱象等等,希望可以对司法鉴定制度的改革有所裨益。     

When a corporation rapes: perceptions of rape in civil court for corporate defendants

In recent years, the coupling of poor outcomes for rape victims in criminal court and the widening scope of legal responsibility for sexual assault has prompted plaintiffs to file civil suits for rape against corporations. Unfortunately, we know little about juror perception of civilly litigated rape against corporate defendants and most jury research involving corporate defendants concerns non-sexual injury cases (e.g. premises liability, automobile accidents). With the increasing number of corporations being sued civilly for rape, we need to understand how civil juries perceive these cases. The present study investigated mock jurors’ perceptions of a fictional civil rape trial against a hotel. Community members (N?=?155) read one of three trial summaries: Civil rape trial against the alleged perpetrator, civil rape trial against a hotel, or criminal rape trial. Results indicate females have higher pro-plaintiff judgments than males in civil court, perceptions of greed typically associated with civil litigation apply to rape, and favorable plaintiff decisions are most likely against a corporate defendant. Also, mental models suggest mock jurors conceptualize criminal and civil rape cases against an individual similarly. We discuss our results in terms of psychological, legal and practical expectations when suing for rape.     

Forensic-medical assessment of terroristic chemical attacks

By potential damage, chemical terroristic attacks are much more dangerous than terroristic bombing. To fight chemical terrorism it is necessary to create the system of medical-environmental defense of the population. In line with emergency medicine, forensic medical service is a very important element of the antiterroristic defense. The activity of forensic-medical experts in the field of terroristic chemical attack is analysed.     

民事诉讼证据中有关鉴定的诠释与规则适用探讨

新《民事证据规定》涉及鉴定条款占所有条款数量的四分之一,其中,新增条款又约占整个鉴定条款的60%。这种大幅度对鉴定问题的修订,彰显出鉴定在民事证据中的重要地位与实践中的突出作用。这些有关鉴定条款的修改、新增和删除,除理顺民事证据规定与民事诉讼法及其相关解释的关系和回应民众对鉴定的需求外,侧重于人民法院对鉴定委托的管理和对鉴定人活动的规范。具体体现为加强鉴定委托管理、强化鉴定人出庭作证、限制鉴定人撤销鉴定意见、严格鉴定人承诺和作虚假鉴定等方面的责任,尤其是鉴定费用退回的制裁方式。但也存在规范鉴定人和法官行为的失衡,以及条款间及其与相关司法解释的不协调问题等。对此需要在尊重诉讼规律、科学规律和证据规则本质的基础上,以司法改革、司法鉴定制度改革以及与相关法律、司法解释衔接和协调的综合视角对有关鉴定的规定作出理论诠释与适用说明,不宜孤立地解释条款的字面含义,以免导致实践适用上的失控。     

Code or court: the financial-political aspect of correlation between common and civil law

This paper analyses the ‘law and finance theory’ and other papers which are based on it and finds that the theory has more in common with a political order than independent scientific research. This paper argues that, as our world becomes more and more globalized, common law countries in general, and case law in particular, have a little advantage when it concerns financial and business relationships. Consequently, such differences as legal origins can become a huge rift for global unity. It concludes that, in agreement with many philosophers, the best way is a ‘middle way’. It recommends the construction a new system of law, which combines the best aspects of the common and civil law families.     

Forensic-medical evaluation of medical care errors in obstetric-gynecological practice

The authors show the necessity of elaboration and practical application of normative documents (standards) and forensic-medical criterions of assessment of defects in obstetric-gynecological medical aid. The examples of the above assessment are given in the article.     

Forensic-medical diagnosis of heart damage from blunt trauma

A total of 277 forensic expert medical conclusions on cases with closed heart injury are analyzed. The morphology and mechanisms of formation of heart injuries in various traumas are discussed.