Adopting Same-Sex Unions in Catholic Malta: Pointing the Finger at ‘Europe’

In 2013 the Maltese Labour Party returned to power after 15 years in opposition, securing the single largest majority in the island's post-independence history and on a platform promising civil unions for same-sex couples. Asking how LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights became mainstream in a country synonymous with Catholicism, the article examines whether the adoption of the Civil Union Act is the culmination of ten years of European Union membership. Employing concepts of policy and institutional fit as well as social constructivist theories of elite socialisation and epistemic communities, it concludes that while policy fit accounts for the introduction of equality laws, the Civil Union Act depended on the social democrats' need to retake the progressive agenda. Elite socialisation – particularly among Members of the European Parliament – helped reframe the issue, encouraging the party to adopt this policy while the Europeanisation of the LGBT lobby reminded the social democrats that the LGBT minority, long hidden and browbeaten by Church teaching, now sought recognition and equality.     

事实同居关系的刑法承认及其影响论说

刑法上的事实同居,指具备完全刑事责任能力的二人未经登记而自愿持续共同生活两年以上的事实状态。事实同居广泛存在于现实中,其本质特征是双方物质上及精神上的相互支持以致不分你我,具备了法律婚姻的实质要件。与民法的注重形式要件不同,刑法认定犯罪侧重于实质要件。法律婚姻的效力在刑法上也适用于事实同居,如财产的共同共有权利、同居义务、相互抚养义务,从而影响财产犯罪、遗弃罪、强奸罪、重婚罪的认定。     

婚托问题的法律分析

婚托是影响我国婚介业健康发展的一种违法行为 ,它不仅直接损害婚介消费者的合法权益 ,玷污婚介业的声誉和社会形象 ,而且还影响我国社会治安的稳定 ,败坏社会主义的良好道德风尚。文章分析了我国婚托的现状、危害、产生原因 ,并提出识别和预防措施。 1 查验婚介机构是否具备合法经营资格 ;2 查看婚介服务是否规范 ;3 看婚介机构收费是否合理。     

论行政执法主体与行政相对人行政法关系的平等性

行政执法关系的平等性来源于政治民主化进程中社会民主权利意识的培育和增长,并借此以权利制约权力。平等性的理念不仅有助于促进依法行政,而且有助于推进行政诉讼法制的发展。     

由婚姻的概念纷争引起的关于婚姻的思考

本文从人们对婚姻概念的认识分岐来思考婚姻现象的特殊性 ,认为婚姻这种人类社会的两性关系形式 ,是以男女两性的性的差异和本能为基础而形成的具有丰富社会内容的男女两性共同生活关系。婚姻以其主体的差异性、内容的多样性和复杂性、时间的永久性、社会的认可性、排他性为其构成要素 ,并承担特殊的社会职能。     

我国离婚损害赔偿制度探微

离婚损害赔偿制度是2001年婚姻法增加的内容,完善了我国的婚姻立法。文章试就离婚损害赔偿制度的确立意义、性质、主体和范围等问题进行分析和探讨。     

控辩平等之现代内涵解读

社会形态的不断变化必然引至社会规范的发展演进,而在无数种社会规范演进中,法律文化往往有着最后共同的归宿,即用法律制度凝聚和表达法律的进步与文明。控辩平等之立论,源于"平等武装(equalityofarms)"理论。长期以来,国内外学术界也都是从平等武装与平等对抗的层面认识和剖析控辩平等的内涵。然而,在现代刑事诉讼中,控辩平等的内涵已经有了新的丰富的发展。     

论我国婚姻无效与撤销制度的完善

值此中华人民共和国民法典正在制定之际 ,考察我国现行婚姻无效与撤销制度之不足 ,借鉴外国立法经验 ,结合我国实际 ,提出修改、完善立法的建议 ,以供我国立法机关参考。     

The Normativity of the Private Ownership Form

One of the most acute charges against private property observes that ownership generates a trespassory duty of exclusion that far exceeds the requirements of a commitment to values such as freedom and well‐being, and accordingly there exists an analytical mismatch between the form of protecting ownership and the functions that this protection may serve. This article develops a novel account of ownership's normativity, maintaining that, apart from the functions it may render to external values, the form of ownership is in itself a source of value, in virtue of the society it may engender between free and equal persons. Any gap between the form and the function of ownership need not plague private ownership, because the functions of ownership do not exhaust the explanation of its good. The formal core of private property is a distinctively social one, even in the most isolated case of trespass to property.     

修正辩论主义与武器平等的证明责任

修正辩论主义为证明责任理论中武器平等原则的实现提供了新的契机。法官对双方当事人的主观证明责任进行干预在公益诉讼等现代型诉讼中具有相当的必要性，有利于平衡双方利益。为实现武器平等原则，在证据事实提出方面，强调法官的释明权和当事人证据协力义务的合理运用。另外，非讼法理和自由证明方式向诉讼程序的扩张，也是构建武器平等的证明责任理论与制度有效路径。