美国《权利法案》从联邦到各州的适用

1791年美国国会通过了著名的《权利法案》。但是《权利法案》的10条修正案在颁布之初只对联邦政府有约束力,并不适用于各州。1868年美国国会批准《宪法》第14条修正案,即所谓的"正当法律程序",引来《权利法案》与"正当法律程序"的关系之争。本文通过一系列案例,说明了《权利法案》在从联邦到州司法适用的曲折过程。     

Rethinking responses to 'domestic violence' in Australian indigenous communities

The United Nations' response to violence against women was to adopt the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in December, 1993 that recognized indigenous women to be especially vulnerable to violence. Australia's initiatives during the 1990s included criminal justice reform, crisis service provision and community-based mediation programmes that have not proved altogether helpful for indigenous women. Given the intractable nature of violence against indigenous women, this paper holds that community-based programmes cannot work in isolation from criminal justice intervention. An approach to male-to-female violence, that views the criminal justice system not only as a means of punishment, but also as an institution for expressing human rights norms is advocated.     

Children's Participation in Family Law Proceedings: A Step Too Far or a Step Too Small?

The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 established children's rights to have their views considered in family law proceedings. These rights go further than elsewhere in the UK: in requiring parents to consult their children when making any ‘major decision’, in creating a range of mechanisms for children to state their views and through facilitating children becoming party to legal proceedings if they are legally competent. Such rights are not without controversy, either in abstract (Is it in children's best interests to be involved in court proceedings? Should children have such rights?) or in practice (Do children and parents know of these rights and accompanying duties? How do legal professionals judge a child's competency?). This paper explores such controversies, using findings from a feasibility study undertaken with children, parents and legal professionals.     

Prisoners' Families and the Regulation of Contact

This article explores HM Prison Service policy and the impact of case law on the rights of prisoners to family contact. First, state provision and policy for prisoner-family contact is reviewed and the constraints imposed on contact over the past decade are explored. A number of legal challenges to these constraints have been made recently and, drawing on domestic case law and challenges in the European Court of Human Rights we explore the nature of prisoners' rights of contact in prison. This analysis shows that while fathers' rights for indirect contact are upheld, their rights are not respected as much as those of mothers in cases of direct contact and also that men unable to establish family life have their rights further eroded. Drawing upon empirical research findings as well as case law, the relationship between the Prison Act 1952 and the Children Act 1989 is considered and policy recommendations are put forward.     

德国《基本法》中的社会国家原则

从语义解释的角度看,社会国家原则在《联邦德国基本法》(以下简称《基本法》)文本中不具有显著地位,且内容不够明确;但从体系解释而言,该原则享有不得修改的宪法基本原则的突出地位。社会国家原则产生的历史则表明,该原则具有弥补《基本法》中社会基本权利缺失的功能。但社会国家的目的以及社会国家原则保障的基本权利都必须通过立法者制定的法律来加以具体化。联邦宪法法院在发挥社会国家原则的宪法规范功能以及确定社会国家的最低宪法标准方面起到了重要作用。社会国家原则在联邦宪法法院的判决中一般与基本权利条款、基本权利限制条款以及社会国家的目标一起发挥作用,被用来为立法者设定社会权利保护义务或论证限制基本权利的法律规范的正当性。     

从ACTA看国际知识产权保护的趋势与动向

ACTA是由美、日等知识产权强国发起的旨在全面加强国际贸易中知识产权保护的诸边协议。ACTA内容广泛,主要包括知识产权保护的民事、行政、刑事、边境及数字环境执法等四类措施和保护手段,较之《TRIPS协议》,ACTA在知识产权执法水平上提出了更高的要求,进一步凸显了知识产权国际保护的发展趋势。     

论“涉众型”经济犯罪被害人经济权利救济的困境及出路

办理"涉众型"经济犯罪案件的重点和难点在于如何最大限度地为被害人挽回经济损失。对"涉众型"经济犯罪被害人经济权利进行救济,须重构防范与保全结合型的财产控制机制、建构特殊类型案件民事救济程序独立于刑事诉讼程序的运行机制、建立健全长效机制破解民事赔偿判决执行难、构建恢复性司法理念指导下的被害人救济三元刑事诉讼模式、建立"涉众型"经济犯罪被害人国家救助制度。     

行政诉讼原告资格的利害关系要件分析

“利害关系”可以被分解为“权益”和“因果关系”两个要素。“权益”要素的判断存在“法律上权益说”和“事实上的权益说” ,但二者在实践中呈融合之势 ;“因果关系”要素操作性不强 ,难以把握 ,在全球呈枯萎之势 ;在“法律上权益说”的构架下 ,“因果关系”有被“权益”吸收的可能。我国宜采用“权益”要素为主、“因果关系”要素为辅的模式解决原告资格问题。     

试论公民良好环境权的公法确认

公民的良好环境权已逐渐被国际公认为第三代人权,是指公民享有在维持其个体尊严和基本生活品质所必需的安全、健康、舒适和富有美感的公共环境中生活的权利。在公法上确认公民的良好环境权既是必要的,也是可能的,具体方式应是先在宪法中确认公民享有良好环境权,而后在环保基本法和各单行法律法规中规定重要的实体权利和程序权利,并通过行政诉讼、行政补偿等制度对受到损害的良好环境权予以有效的公法救济。