MOVIN' ON

In Canada, relocation cases are governed by the 1996 Supreme Court of Canada decision in Gordon v. Goertz , thanks to Canada's constitutional and judicial structure. Gordon rejects presumptions or burdens, mandating an individualized best interests inquiry in every case. Since 1996, appeal courts have done little to develop or refine this approach. Trial level decisions do reveal certain trends, allowing moves in about 60% of cases, but more often for "primary caregivers" and much less often in shared custody cases. Federal custody reform proposals to date have not addressed relocation issues.     

INTERNATIONAL PARENTAL CHILD ABDUCTION: WHY WE NEED TO EXPAND CUSTODY RIGHTS PROTECTED UNDER THE CHILD ABDUCTION CONVENTION

The Child Abduction Convention, an international treaty, protects custody rights internationally among its member states by providing a remedy of return in cases where a child was wrongfully removed in violation of a parent's custody right. There is no such remedy for the violation of a parent's access (or visitation) rights. A ne exeat clause in a child custody agreement restrains a custodial parent from removing a child from a predetermined jurisdiction (such as a particular country) and can be issued when there is a risk that the custodial parent might flee to another country with the child(ren). Currently there is a circuit split within the United States as to whether a ne exeat right coupled with the right of access should equal a protected custody right under the Convention. Most international courts protect the ne exeat right under the Convention; however some do not. A ne exeat right should convey a protected custody right for policy reasons. The beneficial implications of a ne exeat right creating a protected custody right under the Child Abduction Convention clearly outweigh the detriments. While there is no instant solution to the inconsistencies among various courts in interpreting the Child Abduction Conventions’ scope in regard to a ne exeat right, there are ways to resolve the problem. If consistency in judicial interpretation cannot be achieved, a movement needs to be initiated to create a protocol to the Child Abduction Convention to further explain the scope of custody rights and ne exeat rights under the Convention.     

关于网上价格听证的几点思考

本文在简要回顾国外迅速发展的电子参与实践的基础上,针对我国价格听证的实际,系统地探讨了一种新的公众参与形式——网上价格听证,分析了其功能定位,阐述了其实施要点,研究了网上价格听证在价格听证过程中的作用。     

DIVORCE MEDIATION: Research and Reflections

Mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) grew rapidly in the last few decades as a result of high divorce rates, frequent conflicts between parting parents, the resulting administrative burden on courts, and especially concerns about damaging effects on children and postdivorce family relationships. This article focuses on our longitudinal research involving randomized trials of mediation and adversary settlement to support the conclusions that mediation can: (1) settle a large percentage of cases otherwise headed for court; (2) possibly speed settlement, save money, and increase compliance with agreements; (3) clearly increase party satisfaction; and (4) most importantly, lead to remarkably improved relationships between nonresidential parents and children, as well as between divorced parents—even twelve years after dispute settlement. The key "active ingredients" of mediation are likely to include: (1) the call for parental cooperation over the long run of co-parenting beyond the crisis of separation, (2) the opportunity to address underlying emotional issues (albeit briefly), (3) helping parents to establish a businesslike relationship, and (4) the avoidance of divisive negotiations at a critical time for family relationships. We call for more research on mediation and other forms of ADR, as well as a renewal of the excitement and optimism of the "first generation" of mediators, qualities that are "active ingredients" in any successful social or psychological intervention.     

美国民事检察诉讼制度及其价值分析

民事检察诉讼是检察机关提起和参与整个民事诉讼活动的一项制度。美国民事检察诉讼制度历史悠久。研究美国民事检察诉讼制度的历史、特点、分析其存在的价值 ,对建立和完善我国的民事检察诉讼制度有一定的参考作用。     

案卷排他性：公安行政处罚听证的规则运用

公安行政处罚要受《公安机关办理行政案件程序规定》的规制。《公安机关办理行政案件程序规定》第一百二十二条规定应当体现了案卷排他性原则,即将听证笔录作为公安机关作出行政处理决定的唯一依据。这是对行政处罚法有关行政听证程序规定的新发展。     

试论立法的有限理性及制度完善

立法的有限理性存在的根源表现为立法人员的知识或知识结构的偏失、立法人员的个人偏好、立法中信息源的不足以及立法信息传递的中间层级的失真，由此而可能造成立法质量较低、立法的可操作性不强以及立法成本大，立法效益降低等情况。对立洪的有限理性的制度完善方面主要要在立法中建立专家委员会咨询制度、立法助理制度以及立法听证制度。     

刑事普通程序简易化是提高诉讼效率的关键

市场经济中的效益要求,在刑事诉讼活动中也有所反映。刑事普通程序案件简化审理,是提高诉讼效益的关键。这一改革措施的主要任务是要对其适用条件及启动程序提出明确的要求,而且对在庭前准备阶段、证据展示、具体的庭审及简化判决文书等方面也要做具体操作的设计。     

政策转换为法律的正当程序研究

正当程序承载着正义、民主、自由、人权等价值,是民主与法治社会应当遵循的一项普遍法则。政策转换为法律作为民主与法治社会的一项制度,也应当遵循这一法则。同时,遵守正当程序可以保障政策转化为良法,可以保证政策转化为法律过程的正当性。遵循正当程序,就应该在政策转换为法律的过程中注重听取意见制度、公开与说明理由制度和避免偏私制度等。     

未成年人的监护制度之完善

我国现行的未成年人的监护制度还存在着不足之处.主要表现在体系、开始未成年人的监护之实质要件和形式要件、监护人的人数、监护监督人、人身和财产以及代理方面的监护职责、监护人的报酬请求权和费用偿还请求权、监护终止之后的清算等方面.上述规定应该进行修改.