Law,Fact and Narratives in Ancient Rhetoric: The Case of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">causa Curiana</Emphasis>

The present article examines the role of narratives in rhetoric and jurisprudence, trying to understand the ancient system of ‘issues’ (staseis), an essential part of the rhetorical curriculum in antiquity, with the help of some basic notions of legal semiotics. After a brief reconstruction of the doctrine, I argue that narratives are essential to classical rhetoric, that the basic types of issues correspond to particular stories in and of the trial, and finally that the system of ancient rhetorical theory is capable of giving an account of the narrativisation of the pragmatics of the trial. Then I turn to a cause célèbre of Roman law, the causa Curiana, trying to show that not only the trial itself but also subsequent (ancient and modern) debates concerning the case were shaped by some grand narratives, and that stories about the trial are likely to return to the court, where they may become part of the story of the trial.     

Information-based trade in Russia and the effects of listing abroad

This paper offers empirical evidence about transaction cost in Russia. After relating empirical measures of information and liquidity to corporate characteristics, competitive theories about cross-listings are tested. Since cross-listings generate competitive effects on transaction costs, potential to affect price discovery exists. The results reveal a lower share of private information for cross-listed firms since more transparent accounting standards reduce the incentives to collect superior information. Robustness for the evidence presented in favor of the legal bonding hypothesis is provided by those firms which list with the highest Russian standards. Measures of information-based trade are lower and the likelihood of listing abroad is significantly higher.     

Fallibility and Retribution

The fact that human fallibility virtually ensures that punishment will sometimes befall the innocent presents a theoretical puzzle to all forms of retributivism. Retributivists usually say that desert is a necessary condition for justified punishment. It remains unclear, following this view, how retributivists can support punishment in (imperfect) practice. The paper investigates a number of possible replies available to the retributivist. It concludes that one reply in particular can overcome the problem posed by fallibility, but it is not obvious that this reply is convincing.     

Wives’ Relative Income and Marital Quality in Urban China: The Role of Perceived Equity

The debate over the association between wives?? relative income (WRI) and marital quality remain controversial in the west; however, this important research area has been surprisingly under-studied against the backdrop of the fast socioeconomic transition in contemporary China. Using 763 urban Chinese wives, this study examined both the mediating and the moderating role of perceived equity between WRI and marital quality. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that urban Chinese wives?? relative income had a negative impact on their marital happiness and a positive impact on marital instability to a small extent. The mediating role of perceived equity was not supported in this study; however, perceived equity could buffer the positive effect of wives?? relative income on marital instability, especially for higher-earning wives. This study contributes to understanding wives?? socioeconomic resources and marital quality from an equity perspective in the Chinese context and generates implications for cross-cultural research on perceived equity. It also serves for marital counseling on improving higher-earning wives?? perception of fairness as well as family?Cfriendly policy making.     

Literatur

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Uncertainty and regulatory outcome in the Swedish electricity distribution sector

Regulatory agencies are potentially influenced by market characteristics and underlying incentives and use simplifying decision rules. When decision uncertainty increases, it is hypothesised that these influences become more apparent. This study investigates civil cases initiated by dissatisfied customers in the Swedish electricity distribution market. The purpose is to determine (1) how regulatory decision uncertainty manifests itself and (2) whether multi-echelon regulatory structure has a structural impact on regulatory outcome. The results indicate that the regulator’s decisions exhibit status quo bias and that large customers are privileged compared to small customers. The court distinguishes itself by favouring large utilities.     

Keine Dereliktion von schlichten Miteigentumsanteilen an Liegenschaften

Eine Dereliktion schlichter Miteigentumsanteile an Liegenschaften kommt grunds?tzlich nicht in Betracht.     

Feststellungsinteresse bei Anlageberaterhaftung

Hat ein Anlageberater für die nachteiligen Folgen einer Fehlberatung, die zum Erwerb von dem Anlegerwillen nicht entsprechenden Verm?genswerten geführt hat, schadenersatzrechtlich einzustehen, kann der Anleger jedenfalls dann Geldersatz verlangen, wenn der Berater den Naturalersatz (Ersatz des Erwerbspreises gegen Rückstellung der erworbenen Werte) ablehnt oder Schadenersatz überhaupt verweigert. Ist der rechnerische Schaden nicht bezifferbar – etwa weil der Anleger das Erworbene noch hat –, kann er ein auf Feststellung der Geldersatzpflicht gerichtetes Feststellungsbegehren erheben. Der Einwand der Verletzung der Schadensminderungsobliegenheit ist in einem Feststellungsprozess fehl am Platz, betrifft er doch nicht die Ersatzpflicht des Sch?digers dem Grunde nach, sondern nur die H?he der Ersatzpflicht.     

Dealing with Juvenile Offenders in the Criminal Justice System

The treatment of juveniles within the criminal justice systems is a matter of great variety in the 11 European countries studied comparatively. The study focuses on the age of criminal responsibility, ways to divert juvenile offenders from the criminal justice system or avoid criminal justice responses to them, juvenile proceedings and special reactions and sanctions. In spite of different approaches there is a common trend towards preventing juvenile offenders from being treated by criminal courts and being sentenced to criminal sanctions.