Law and Politics in the Reign of Charles I: The Case of John Prigeon

The case of John Prigeon (1634) was an important precedent in the development of administrative law, and the control of local agencies by the central courts. This article shows that its apparent simplicity is misleading. The case was relevant to a major conflict between two powerful personalities, Archbishop Laud and Bishop Williams, over the religious policies of the Caroline regime, and over patronage in the church and the royal court. It also raises issues of the independence of the judiciary in Charles I's reign and the common law judges' understanding of their role both in their own courts and in Star Chamber. This latter is the particular focus of this article.     

Military Tribunals or Civilian Prosecution: The Dilemma of Unlawful Enemy Combatants

As twenty first century America grapples with an increasingly amorphous yet sophisticated terrorist threat, it is illuminating to examine the evolving role of military and civilian courts and laws in our history and their relationship to due process and civil liberties during times of conflict. Caught in the gray area are those individuals who came to be designated as unlawful enemy combatants. Not quite soldier, spy, saboteur, or common criminal these new stateless terrorists have been held by some to be at the complete mercy of the Commander-in-Chief. As history has shown, in the wake of armed conflict, executive authority is often enhanced and tolerated in the name of national security. However, when these broadened powers cease to be regarded as an immediate necessity, the levers of politics, the Courts, and diplomacy invariably act to define both the limits on governmental authority as well as the extent of individual protections.     

The custody orientation of correctional officers: An international comparison

Correctional officers are the most numerous of staff in correctional institutions, and thus an important component in the functioning of the prison. Previous research has identified a subgroup of correctional officers who have been termed “custody oriented.” These officers value the security and supervison aspect of corrections work, and many times hold negative attitudes towards inmates. In order to ascertain the variables that may give rise to a custody orientation and to determine if these variables operate cross‐culturally, the attitudes of American (n = 229) and Canadian (n = 339) correctional officers were examined. The custody orientation of both groups was virtually identical, but the determinants of this custody orientation were quite different for the two groups of officers.     

The Influence of Evidence on Animal Cruelty Prosecution and Case Outcomes: Results of a Survey

Two hundred prosecuting attorneys completed a survey concerning priorities in taking on animal cruelty cases and the factors that help or hinder prosecuting such cases. Respondents commented on the priority given such cases. Questions also addressed specific kinds of evidence that had been used to decide whether to take on a cruelty case and were used in court. Results showed that prosecutors most frequently relied upon “traditional” sources of evidence, including detailed medical and crime scene reports and good quality photographic evidence. Other sources of forensic evidence such as DNA, computer forensics, forensic accounting, blood, and trace evidence were rarely employed. Veterinary forensic evidence, including forensic necropsies and detailed medical reports, was viewed as an important factor by a majority of prosecutors in deciding whether to accept a case for prosecution and in achieving a successful outcome, but a need for additional training for investigators was indicated.     

陕甘宁边区高等法院对民事习惯的调查、甄别与适用

从1942年5月开始,陕甘宁边区高等法院通过法院系统内部上下级部署工作和学习任务的形式,以县为单位,由各县审判人员对本县的风俗习惯进行了比较系统的调查和甄别。截止1944年9月,该院共收集到8个县69条具有权利义务内容的民事习惯,并由收集者对之进行了初步的甄别。在此基础上,该院在民事案件的审理中适用了某些习惯。民事习惯的调查、甄别和适用,促进了审判人员对社会的了解和对民事习惯的认知,丰富了民事案件审判工作。该院虽然对所收集到的习惯进行了简单的整理,但未能完成系统的分析,也未制定出相关的政策和规则,因此这次调查未能发挥出更大的作用。     

Military Courts and Prosecution of Offences by National Defense Forces in the Dawn of the Complementarity Regime: The Case of Uganda

With the coming into force of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC Statute) and its complementarity regime, much emphasis has been placed on the role of national courts in prosecuting international crimes. Some states have demonstrated their commitment to this regime by; inter alia, ratifying the ICC Statute, enacting national legislation to implement the ICC Statute and establishing national judicial forums for prosecution of international crimes. Uganda is a prime example of states rising up to this challenge. Uganda ratified the ICC Statute in 2002. In 2008, it established the International Crimes Division (ICD) to prosecute international crimes and in 2010, it enacted the International Criminal Court Act to implement the ICC Statute. Even before these reforms, Uganda’s military courts had always relied on service offences to prosecute members of the national defence force. Worthy to note, members of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) have been implicated in a number of atrocities, some of which can be categorised as international crimes. However, military courts continue to prosecute UPDF soldiers for these atrocities on the basis of service offences. The situation current in Uganda highlights a number of legal issues relating to: first, the adequacy of service offences to advance accountability for the international crimes allegedly committed by UPDF soldiers; secondly, the jurisdiction of military courts over international crimes; and thirdly, the effect of concurrent jurisdiction by the ICD and military courts on the rule against double jeopardy.     

自我的本己性质及其发展阶段——一个来自胡塞尔时间现象学手稿的视角

胡塞尔发现的意识的"时间视角"现象以及提出的"关系中心说"证明了自我的确凿无疑的存在,范畴直观的方法和时间现象学的思路让胡塞尔不仅"把捉"到自我,从而把自我从意识流、意向对象、对象自我、身体以及意识行为中区分出来,而且还为自我本身的展开问题及其"原自我"、"自我"和"我们"三个阶段的划分带来了现象学的洞见。     

夫妻一方对他方自杀而“见死不救”之刑事责任新探——从“宋福祥故意杀人案”之判决理由谈起

"罪刑法定原则"与"罪刑相适应原则"已经成为我国刑法的基本原则。"宋福祥故意杀人案"之判决理由欠缺合理性与合法性,夫妻一方对他方自杀而"见死不救"的不应当承担刑事责任。在刑事审判中,法官应"以事实为根据,以法律为准绳",以作出正当的个案裁判为己任,在审判中真正做到符合"罪刑法定原则"与"罪刑相适应原则",才能切实保障公民的合法权益,维护社会的和谐稳定,也才能真正实现依法治国。     

民间法现代运作及其影响法治的文化心理学分析——以三则典型案例为视角

即使在我们轰轰烈烈地进行着＂社会主义法治国家＂建设的情况下,民间法依然具有十分顽强的生命力,深深地影响着我国的法治建设。之所以人们仍然偏好以民间法作为自己的行为规范和解决纠纷冲突的参照,这固然有十分复杂的原因,但文化心理原因不能不说是最重要的。为了保证法治建设的顺利进行,我们必须在法律观念、法律制定、法律运作和法律适用结果等不同层面充分考虑承载深厚文化心理基础的民间法。     

理论与实践:美国民事诉讼法教科书的典范——评弗兰德泰尔等的著作《民事诉讼法》

弗兰德泰尔等著的民事诉讼法一书,具有严谨的理论体系,融学术理论与诉讼实践为一体,内容丰富,资料翔实,结构新颖,对研究美国民事诉讼法,以及重新认识和借鉴判例教学法等,都具有重大参考价值。     

对中国民法学学术路向的初步思考——过分侧重制度性研究的缺陷及其克服

我国以往的民法学研究,呈现出的特点之一就是过分侧重制度性研究。这一研究模式有其存在的必要性,同时也存在一定的缺陷。未来的制度性研究应当是采用了体系化思考方法的制度性研究,应当是面向其他学科的研究方法和研究成果开放的制度性研究,而非单纯采用法律的逻辑分析方法的制度性研究。     

实践中的民事审判——四个中级法院民事一审程序的运作

本稿是在特定理论模型支撑下对若干有代表性的中级法院民事一审程序运作状况展开实证调查而取得的一项初始性成果。调查采用案件卷宗抽样、访谈、参与观察、问卷和文献研究等方法,就庭前准备、开庭样式、各类证据的使用情况及结案方式等方面程序的实际操作做了系统的了解,并对"非正式开庭"等调查中新的发现进行了较深入的分析。调查结果显示了在审判方式改革给司法实践带来重大变化的同时,诉讼模式转型仍在进行之中的实际状况。     

缺乏对抗的“被告人说话式”审判——对我国“控辩式”刑事审判的实证考察

我国立法机关于1996年在吸收了对抗式刑事审判合理因素的基础上,创设了"控辩式审判"方式,以解决庭审走过场的弊端和实现控辩审职能的分化。从司法实践来看,改革者的目标并没有得到实现。我国的刑事审判在实际运作上是一种缺乏对抗的"被告人说话式"审判,具体表现在:庭审上趋于消极但不中立的法官,公诉人对审判的单方面主导,被告人是法庭上的"主角","说话权"受限的量刑辩护人,法庭调查的书面化等。由此导致我国刑事审判制度的双高现象:高效率和高定罪率。     

荣格与《易经》：沟通东西方文化的心理学尝试

以荣格与《易经》的互动为管,能透析荣格在其心理学体系中汲取和融合东方文化的努力。《易经》的“感而遂通天下”是荣格提出“共时性”思想的关键所在。《易经》的“阴”、“阳”对立统一反映在荣格的“原型”理论中,是其寻求文化沟通可能的共同心理基础。荣格从理性主义和实证主义的视角对《易经》进行了独特的诠释和解读,他与《易经》的对话是从心理学角度沟通东西方文化的有益尝试。     

《民法典·继承编》的人文观照与制度保障

我国《民法典·继承编》编纂几易其稿,民众对其抱有较大寄望与期盼。寄望其展现人文观照情愫,尊重生存价值、维护自主能力、推进实质平等;期盼其完善制度保障体系,彰显继承意愿、提供救济机制、维护继承秩序。人文观照路径,在于完善继承制度与规范配置,回应社会分层现实,彰显继承宗旨,协调继承利益;制度保障路径,在于融贯形式平等与实质平等,解决继承纠纷,回应社会需要。     

法律人格的伦理变革——来自罗马法又回到罗马法

法律人格与伦理的关系状态反映了法律对人的态度。人格属性历经古代罗马法、近代欧陆民法以及现代社会化民法的发展过程,分别表现为"反伦理化、泛伦理化、去伦理化"倾向。人格概念的伦理价值判断功能应该让位于它的法律技术功能。通过承继并改造罗马法人格制度建立现代民事主体制度。     

江村村民委员会选举个案研究

江村村民委员会选举经历了候选人从"内定"到推荐、从等额到差额的转变过程,是村民意愿与上级意图磨合的结果.村民参与选举的热情与他们的切身利益、他们真正当家作主的预期以及他们对村委会的依附程度有关.基层政府在选举中既起到了积极指导又起到了变相控制的双重作用.这一个案对我们完善有关法律制度提供了有益的启示:应从制度上进一步明确乡、村之间的关系,合理地划分乡镇政府与村委会的权限;应对村民代表会议的产生、权限及其运行加以规范化和细化;应将"无候选人的直接选举"合法化等等.     

The principle of proportionality in biometrics:Case studies from Norway

The principle of proportionality is a decisive factor in the legal review of biometric systems by the Data Protection Authorities (DPA) in EU member states. However, in the working document on biometrics the Data Protection Working Party gives little guidance on how the purpose and proportionality principle must be applied to biometrics. There remain uncertainties as to the specific criteria and factors that are used for evaluating the proportionality of processing biometric information. This sometimes leads to contradictory decisions by different national DPAs on similar biometric related issues. This paper aims to discuss the legal factors and parameters that are generally adopted to address the proportionality issue in the biometric context. After a brief analysis of the legal notion of the principle of proportionality, the paper analyses and discusses the European organisations’ interpretation of the recent Norwegian cases on biometrics. The paper then concludes with a summary of the interpretation of the proportionality principle within the biometric context and gives specific recommendations of several important factors that need to be taken into account.     

Destination Based Indirect Taxation: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Development of a strategy to foster strong economic growth was seen by the international community as a key aspect to nation building and sustaining the end of the armed conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tax policy was a key aspect of the strategy, but the very decentralized institutional arrangements and limited cooperation between the governments complicated the design. This paper reviews and assesses the indirect tax structure that has been the focus of the first five years. Among the findings are the importance associated with creating destination-based revenue attribution, the strong tendencies for tax competition, the unwillingness to accept formula-based revenue distribution, and the high administrative and compliance costs that result from structuring a system to achieve all of the necessary goals in a decentralized government context.     

U.S. International Broadcasting: The Case of Iran

This article is an examination of the current state of U.S. broadcasting to Iran. It also gives an overview of the structure of U.S. international broadcasting. The author illustrates how under the Bush administration, Radio Farda and Voice of America Persian TV were held accountable for helping to destabilize the Islamic Republic of Iran. However, critics, including those in the Pentagon and a number of congressional members, doubted the capacity of Radio Farda, in particular, to carry out such a purpose because of its entertainment focus. Contrary to self-professed declarations of independence and free and objective journalism, the author argues that the U.S. government uses strict editorial control to restrict its broadcasting entities within the boundaries of its foreign policy objectives.