Wrongful life: the problem of causation

The paper considers the status of the wrongful life action particularly in the light of the recent acceptance of such actions in continental Europe. It is considered that the hurdle of causation is still not adequately overcome in these cases and, in a search for an answer to the difficulty, the author re-examines the Canadian case of Cherry v Borsman. This case was originally thought of as one of wrongful life associated with a negligently performed abortion and the paper attempts to overcome the problems of causation by comparing and contrasting the roles of the genetic counsellor and the abortionist. While the attempt is by no means wholly successful, it also serves to draw attention to some significant differences between wrongful life actions based on physical and mental disability in the neonate.     

Wrongful birth in New Zealand

Wrongful birth cases have been a feature of the common law. In this article the author examines wrongful birth cases against the background of the New Zealand accident compensation scheme. Initially cases were accepted under the scheme, but after major changes to the legislation in 1992, wrongful birth cases were declined cover. The author argues that this should continue to be the case, and that, as a result, New Zealand courts will have to make the same policy decisions in this area as those made by other Commonwealth courts.     

刑事错案形成的心理原因

刑事错案的成因包括直接原因、环境原因和心理原因,其中心理原因(主要表现为包括"遂道视野"、"证实偏差"等在内的各种心理偏差)对错案的形成有更根本的影响。绝大多数直接原因,如刑讯逼供、隐瞒有利于犯罪嫌疑人、被告人的证据、忽视辩护律师的合理意见等等,都是各种心理偏差的外在表现。而绝大多数环境原因,如不合理的考核方式、司法经费不足等等,之所以会导致错案,主要是因为它们强化了这些心理偏差。根据这些心理偏差对错案形成的可能影响,可以在心理学层面总结出刑事错案的形成过程及规律,而我国近年来纠正的22起刑事错案可以为此提供验证。我国有必要完善当前的刑事司法体制,以减少这些心理偏差对办案人员的影响,进而更有效地防止错案的发生。     

Wrongful birth,wrongful conception

Nach der dem Behandlungsvertrag zugrundeliegenden Wertung ist sowohl bei wrongful birth als auch bei wrongful conception eine Verrechnung ideeller Vorteile der Elternschaft mit dem Unterhaltsschaden ausgeschlossen. Aufgrund des von § 97 StGB vorgegebenen Schutzzwecks des Vertrags ist bei wrongful birth lediglich der behinderungsbedingte Mehraufwand und nicht auch der Basisunterhalt zu ersetzen. In den F?llen von wrongful conception ist hingegen für den gesamten Unterhaltsschaden zu haften.     

错误的刑事羁押与国家的赔偿责任

刑事诉讼中的错误羁押与刑事错案常常相伴而生,但二者并非同一概念。错误羁押以刑事程序法为认定依据,即使没有错案发生,羁押行为违反《刑事诉讼法》的规定亦照样构成错误羁押。与错案相联系的错误羁押或合法羁押都应当导致刑事司法机关的国家赔偿责任,而未构成错案但构成错误羁押并因此导致当事人合法权益损害的,国家也应当有条件地承担赔偿责任。国家对无错案条件下错误羁押承担赔偿责任,有利于增强刑事司法机关的程序公正意识和人权保障意识,防止和减少羁押的滥用。     

英国的不法交易规则研究

公司濒临破产时，股东的利益与债权人利益出现分野，董事如何行事即成为焦点之所在。英国的不法交易规则模式的适用要件、法律构造等均堪完备，为处理该问题的典型立法例，对于我国填补这方面的法律空白有重要的示范意义和可移植价值。并且，我国当前的制度架构具备引进该制度的现实条件，可考虑进行法律移植。     

论违法行政行为的治愈

违法行政行为的法律后果是多元的,并非一概撤销或确认无效。在一定条件下,违法行政行为可被治愈。治愈方式包括追认、补正及转换。《行政复议法》与《行政诉讼法》关于违法行政行为法律后果的规定不适应现实需要。作为权宜之计,应通过法律解释增加治愈制度;作为根本措施,应尽快出台《行政程序法》规定治愈制度,同时删除《行政复议法》及《行政诉讼法》的相关规定。正确理解和应用违法行政行为治愈理论,有助于促进我国行政法理论的精细化和行政法制度的完善。     

刑事错判是如何纠正的

通过对137件刑事错判案件的纠正方式进行研究可知,法院作出无罪判决是最主要的错判纠正方式,此外还包括检察机关作不起诉处理或撤诉,公安机关作撤销刑事案件处理等错案纠正方式。为了最大限度保护刑事错判案件中被追诉人的权利,在改革我国刑事错案纠正制度时,应当明确规定错判案件只能由法院判决和检察机关的不起诉决定进行纠正,严格禁止适用公诉撤回和撤销案件的方式纠正被错误裁判的案件。     

关于刑事冤案再审程序的几个问题——以刑事冤案应当专设再审程序为研究重点

刑事再审案件可以分为两类:一类是刑事难案,其虽因“确有错误”而被提起再审,但再审后仍可能维持原判;另一类是刑事冤案,即再审前已确信原生效裁判确定的“罪犯”事实上是无辜之人,再审只是为了从法律上加以确认.对于后者,司法实践中采用实质上回归原审程序的再审程序进行审判,产生了诸多问题.鉴于此,应当专门设立在审理法院、当事人及其他参与人、审理方式、审理内容、裁判依据等方面既不同于一审程序也不同于二审程序的特别再审程序.     

Wrongful life actions: the legal and ethical hurdles

This article discusses the various legal and ethical issues arising out of the cause of action for wrongful life. This action involves a claim by a child that but for the negligence of the doctor, hospital or other medical institution, his or her mother would have terminated the pregnancy and he or she would not have been born. The courts have generally rejected this cause of action on the basis of legal, ethical and policy considerations. The author proposes that the legal hurdles can be overcome and that the ethical and policy considerations do not outweigh the desirability of upholding wrongful life claims.     

不当劳务派遣及其管制

《劳动合同法》自制定、通过到实施,一直受到社会广泛的关注。人们所关注的热点、难点和疑点并没有随着该法的施行而结束,反倒对实施前该法引起的劳动关系变动、实施后该法的社会效果进行了更多的思考。本期刊发的几篇对热点、难点进行解读,对实施效果进行前瞻的文章,意在为读者准确理解和适用该法提供参考。     

"Wrongful life" a la francaise

A recent decision of the French supreme court has recognised what has been termed in the common law system, a "wrongful life" action. Intentionally provocative, the decision shows how the desire for equitable or "corrective" justice poses a threat not only to established legal principles on civil liability, but also to the ethical framework in which both the medical and legal professions must operate.     

论父母对"不当出生"者之损害赔偿请求权

医疗者未尽合理注意义务,而使得残疾儿“不当出生”,父母因此享有医疗损害赔偿权.“不当出生”不是价值实现,而是损害事故,其请求权基础可以是违约责任或侵权责任.损害赔偿范围包括机会利益的损失,反差利益的损失、人格利益的损失以及对“不当出生”的残疾儿的抚养费.     

Wrongful termination lawsuits: the employers finally win a few

Much attention has been given of late to the erosion of the "employment-at-will" doctrine. Exceptions to this doctrine began to emerge when courts held that at-will employees could sue if their termination violated public policy. The at-will doctrine was further eroded by court rulings that a contract requiring good cause in order to terminate could be inferred from employee handbooks, company personnel policies, and circumstances of employment. As the initial flood of wrongful termination lawsuits now reaches the appellate level, some guidance on the standards employers must observe can be drawn from court decisions. The authors examine these decisions as well as the legislative reform being proposed in response to them.     

纯粹经济利益还是生育自主权:错误怀孕和错误出生诉讼的恰当路径

在典型错误怀孕、错误出生案件中,父母所受损害为纯粹精神损害和纯粹经济损失。妊娠分娩本身并不构成身体权受侵害,而在人格权体系里也没有所谓生育自主权的存在余地。就生育事务的意志自主属《最高人民法院关于确定民事侵权精神损害赔偿责任若干问题的解释》第1条第2款所规定的"其他人格利益",只有加害行为违背社会公德,父母方得请求精神损害赔偿。就纯粹经济损失最主要的内容而言就是孩子的抚养费用,应考察父母接受相关医疗服务的目的以判断能否得到赔偿。德国法院遵从的规范保护目的说与美国部分判例倡导的动机分析思路相同,乃为恰当法律路径,唯前者于目的解释上失之于宽,后者更合乎法的价值取向。