Why Should Justice Be Seen to Be Done?

A well-known maxim instructs that justice should be seen to be done. When “seen” is understood in the sense of “observed”, the maxim is easily defended: open court proceedings protect against arbitrary and partial decisions. However, when “seen” is understood in the sense of “seem,” the maxim is more puzzling, since it is not obvious why courts should concern themselves with people's perceptions that justice has been done. This article addresses this issue, with a particular focus on the social and other benefits that result when judges observe procedures that are widely regarded as fair, especially in criminal trials. The article draws on empirical studies in social psychology that show that when legal authorities treat people in ways that accord with “lay” procedural expectations, they are more likely to view the authorities as legitimate, to cooperate with them, and to obey the law out of an internalized sense of obligation. The article explores the moral significance of these empirical findings, arguing that it would be superficial to see them as a recipe for social stability. The deeper truth conveyed by the empirical research is that relating to people in ways that are widely perceived to be fair is a way for authorities to engage people's moral sentiments and to enliven their virtuous capacity to put aside considerations of self-interest so as to do what is right. This dynamic provides a sound moral foundation for courts to concern themselves with perceptions of justice.     

中国财政部救助问题银行法律制度的完善——以美国为鉴

财政部救助问题银行是避免问题银行破产的最后一道屏障。多年来,美国财政部救助问题银行逐渐形成了＂保护纳税人权益＂、＂成本可回收＂、＂最后手段性＂三项基本法律原则,并被严格恪守。相比之下,中国财政部救助问题银行的立法与实践匮乏,相关法律原则阙如,与救助相关的部分财政法律制度亟待调整。     

量刑法定化:罪刑法定原则内涵的应有拓展

罪刑法定原则必须与时俱进,刑法规范内容的多样化必然带来罪刑法定原则内容的多样化,但罪刑法定原则长期被学界定位为犯罪与刑罚的法定化,无法充分体现其限制刑罚权滥用的制度价值。随着刑事司法中的最大问题由罪刑擅断到量刑不公的转变,罪刑法定原则的内涵亦应该有所拓展,即从"犯罪与刑罚之法定化"的二元格局迈向"犯罪、刑罚与量刑之法定化"的三元格局。其中,评价范围与评价方法的法定化,就是量刑法定化的题中之义。     

金融消费者知情权保护的困境解析与出路探索

知情权是金融消费者进行金融消费的前提,也是金融消费者实现其他权益的基础。但是,当今金融市场日益复杂化、专业化、多样化,存在严重的信息不对称现象,金融消费者在金融市场交易中处于弱势地位,其知情权经常受到各种侵害,由此引发了诸多金融机构侵犯金融消费者权益的事件。然而,目前我国在维护金融消费者知情权的法律保护方面存在着诸多缺陷,因此有必要借鉴发达国家的经验,进行相关金融立法、行政监管、司法救济等方面的改革,切实维护金融消费者权益。     

独立审计准则技术性与法律性之间冲突及其解决对策

独立审计准则是审计行业内部技术性规范同时也是部门规章具有法律性,两种性质之间的矛盾冲突表现在形式和内容两个方面。这种冲突表面上市是由于独立审计准则制定主体和程序的特殊性,实在根源自行业利益与公共利益的冲突。要解决冲突,需要对独立审计准则准则的位阶的准确定位,在《会计法》中明确独立审计准则的地位,强化独立审计准则自身的完善。     

The failure of british obscenity law in the regulation of pornography

Abstract

Summary: In this paper the author addresses the problem of pornography with particular reference to legal regulation in England and Wales against the wider context of the lack of adequate control of pornography world-wide. This is explored first by an examination of the nature and increasing availability of pornography. Second, is provided a consideration of the competing philosophical and ideological arguments for and against its regulation. Third, is provided a statement of the current legal regulatory mechanisms of control germane to the global dissemination of pornography. Finally, the application and effectiveness of obscenity law in England and Wales is considered.     

渔业公共信托原则在美国的发展及其对中国的借鉴

渔业资源的法律属性引起了西方渔业法学界的热烈讨论。渔业资源的公共财产的本质属性导致竞争性捕捞,催生了渔业公地悲剧。美国承继了英国普通法上的公共信托制度并通过本土的判例法,将公共信托原则适用于渔业资源的养护与管理领域。渔业公共信托原则在美国的发展具有渐进性和扩张性。我国1986年《渔业法》固守以捕捞许可为基本手段的行政管理模式。没有引入基于市场的管理方法,缺乏一定的灵活性。本文建议我国修订《渔业法》时,对美国渔业公共信托原则进行本土化改造,使之成为保障我国渔业资源可持续发展的理论基础。     

克隆人立法的宪法规制

克隆羊"多莉"诞生以来,克隆技术迅猛发展,克隆人问题的现实性日益彰显。我国秉持"禁止生殖性克隆、支持治疗性克隆"的指导思想,出台了相关规章禁止克隆人。然而,目前我国克隆人的相关立法有违背宪法上的法律保留原则和比例原则之嫌,存在着合宪性问题。建议全国人大根据法律保留和比例原则制定专门的《克隆技术管理法》,明确界定克隆人的相关概念,禁止任何人从事生殖性克隆,并明确规定监管机关的监管职责以及违法应当承担的法律责任,同时将生殖性克隆入罪、明确立法的"落日条款",以消解当前克隆人立法的合宪性问题,实现克隆人立法的宪法规制。     

Socialism,knowledge, the instrumental valuation principle and the enhancement of individual dignity

Abstract

Socialism is frequently associated with central planning, public ownership, anathema to markets and the emasculation of the individual. Recent market socialist contributions attempt to overcome socialism's seeming resistance to markets. However, such contributions are frequently undermined by Hayek's invocation of fragmented knowledge. This article endeavours to contribute to a broadly conceived socialism that is not grounded in a particular array of institutions, but one which, via the instrumental valuation principle, the capabilities approach and Dewey's conceptualization of knowledge, offers the prospect of enhancing individual dignity. The instrumental valuation principle is viewed as key to socialism's engagement with dignity as it provides the framework for the enhancement of egalitarianism, democracy and the undermining of invidious institutional arrangements.     

国际侦查合作中的特定犯罪不合作原则

国际侦查合作是基于诉讼进程的角度将国际刑事司法合作进行纵向划分所形成的理论范畴,对于其基本原则的研究是建构该理论体系的基础和前提.作为各国参与国际侦查合作的前提条件之一,特定犯罪不合作原则具有重要的基础性意义.在对相关的国际公约、双边条约或协定以及国内法进行比较考察的基础上,运用刑事诉讼法学以及刑法学的基本原理,论证和阐释了特定犯罪不合作原则的由来、特定犯罪范围的确定及其价值功能,并且结合司法实践归纳出特定犯罪不合作原则的发展方向.