This chapter discusses the organization and functions of the European Court of Human Rights. Topics covered include the composition of the Court; the election of judges; the roles of the Court Chambers and the Grand Chamber; pilot judgments; reform of the Court; and the future of the Court.
Chapter
3. The European Court of Human Rights: Organization, Practice, and Procedure
David Harris, Michael O’boyle, Ed Bates, Carla M. Buckley, KreŠimir Kamber, ZoË Bryanston-Cross, Peter Cumper, and Heather Green
Chapter
3. The European Court of Human Rights: organization, practice, and procedure
David Harris, Michael O’Boyle, Ed Bates, Carla Buckley, and Krešimir Kamber
This chapter discusses the organization and functions of the European Court of Human Rights. Topics covered include the composition of the Court; the election of judges; the roles of the Court Chambers and the Grand Chamber; pilot judgments; reform of the Court; and the future of the Court.
Chapter
17. Inquiries
Mark Elliott and Jason Varuhas
This chapter discusses ex post (after the event) and ex ante (before the event) inquiries. It begins by sketching two of the ex ante inquiry models that are encountered in the planning context. The first model involves an inquiry that takes place before the making of any decision whatever and the second involves inquiries that are taken in advance of any decision on the relevant matter being reached, as well as inquiries that are undertaken in the course of an appeal that is lodged against a decision. The chapter then considers the nature and purpose of ex ante inquiries and the right to know the opposing case, along with participation and procedure as they apply to inquiries. It goes on to examine ex post inquiries and the role of judges in holding such inquiries before concluding with an analysis of government accountability with respect to inquiries.
Chapter
5. Case law
Scott Slorach, Judith Embley, Peter Goodchild, and Catherine Shephard
This chapter first discusses the fundamental distinctions between common law and civil law. It then examines the operation of the doctrine of precedent, and considers the arguments for and against the roles of judges and legislators in making law.
Chapter
5. Case law
Scott Slorach, Judith Embley, Peter Goodchild, and Catherine Shephard
This chapter first discusses the fundamental distinctions between common law and civil law, an important aspect of which is the role of judge-made law. It then examines the operation of the doctrine of precedent—the means by which law made in earlier cases binds the reasoning of some courts in later cases. This involves the skill of identifying statements of law, and the skills involved in applying those earlier statements, or alternatively avoiding their impact. It then considers the arguments for and against the roles of judges and legislators in making law.
Chapter
3. The judicial function in the law of evidence
This chapter discusses the different functions in a court and how the court is composed of a tribunal of law and a tribunal of fact. In a jury trial, the judge decides matters of law and is the tribunal of law, while the jury is the ‘fact-finder’, the tribunal of fact. In a non-jury trial, the judge or magistrates perform both functions. This chapter discusses the functions of the judge in legal issues concerning evidence and, in particular, when a case is withdrawn from the jury because there is ‘no case’; judicial discretion; and admissibility of evidence illegally or unfairly obtained.
Chapter
5. Dworkin and law’s moral claims
This chapter discusses the essential elements of Dworkin’s theory of law. It focuses on Dworkin’s assault on positivism and his insistence upon the close relationship between morals and the law. By denying the positivist separation between law and morals, he expounds a theory that rejects the proposition that judges either do or should make law, and contends instead that judges have an obligation to find and express ‘the soundest theory of law’ on which to decide hard cases; and concludes that, since judges (who are unelected officials) do not make law, the judicial role is democratic and prospective. His approach is based on the notion that only by adopting this view of the judicial function can the law take rights seriously.
Chapter
3. Creating, Finding, and Applying the Law
This chapter discusses the administration of the legal system and introduces its essential elements. It begins by identifying the various sources of law in England and Wales and continues with an examination of the roles played by the judiciary in interpreting and applying legislation. It demonstrates the active and important role adopted by judges in giving the full effect of the law. It considers the law-making process, along with the workings of the parliamentary system and the use of delegated legislation. It also considers the sources of the law to identify where laws may derive, and delineates the ‘hierarchy’ of laws in England. The chapter concludes by identifying and critiquing the ability of Parliament to delegate the responsibility of passing legislation.
Chapter
8. Interpreting Statutes
This chapter discusses statutory interpretation: the language used in a statute, the application of the language to the facts, or both. It covers the so-called rules of interpretation: the literal rule, the golden rule, the purposive rule, and the mischief rule, and why we still refer to them; examples of the ‘rules’ in action and the reality of their application; secondary aids to construction; the use of Hansard; how judges choose to explain the construction they have placed on the statute; interpretation and the Human Rights Act 1998; interpreting secondary legislation; and an example of how to analyse a case on statutory interpretation.
Chapter
15. The Judiciary
This chapter begins with discussions of the role of the judiciary in the UK and its relationships with other institutions. After then looking at some facts and figures on the makeup of the judiciary the chapter considers the issue of judicial independence and how independence can be retained while ensuring that judges are accountable. There is a mini case study on the controversies surrounding media criticism of the judges following the decisions in the Miller 1 case. The chapter also considers impartiality; the appointment of judges; the need to improve diversity of the judiciary; and the use of judges to chair public inquiries.
Chapter
16. Introduction to Judicial and Dispute Resolution Functions
This chapter provides an overview of the themes covered in Part 4 of the book, consisting of Chapters 16 to 20. Chapter 17 examines the constitutional position of judges within the United Kingdom, looking in particular at judicial independence and at the process by which judges are appointed. Chapter 18 looks at redress mechanisms outside the court system—a terrain often referred to as the landscape of ‘administrative justice’. Chapter 19 examines the grounds on which the courts will judicially review the legality of actions taken by public authorities; Chapter 20 examines the use of human rights arguments against these authorities.
Chapter
17. The Judiciary
This chapter begins with discussions of the role of the judiciary in the UK, its relationships with other institutions, and qualifications for being a judge. It then considers the issue of judicial independence and how independence can be retained while ensuring that judges are accountable. There is a mini case study on the controversies surrounding media criticism of the judges following the decisions in the Miller case. The chapter also considers impartiality; the appointment of judges; the need to improve diversity of the judiciary; and the use of judges to chair public inquiries.
Book
Helen Rutherford, Birju Kotecha, and Angela Macfarlane
English Legal System provides understanding of the operation of the legal system which is essential to the laying of a solid foundation on which to build further legal study. After offering practical advice on how to study the English legal system, there is an overview of the nature of law; the sources of law and how the English legal system operates; the courts of England and Wales, and some of the important institutions and personnel of the law. How legislation is made and how it is interpreted is discussed. How judges make law and how this process is governed by the doctrine of judicial precedent are explored. The legal precedent set by a case, the ratio decidendi, and other statements of law, obiter dicta, are explained. The book considers the impact of membership of the European Union (EU), being a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and Brexit. The institutions and personnel of the law: juries, judges, and lawyers are covered. The criminal process, from arrest to trial, to sentencing, is explained and analysed. Resolution of disputes through the civil courts and tribunals is explained, as is the civil process. Alternative methods of dispute resolution are considered.
Chapter
8. Substantive unlawfulness
This chapter shows that judges must substitute their own judgment for that of an administrative authority on some issues, in order to give effect to the principle of legality. When there is reason for non-deferential judicial review, deference would mean abandoning the rule of law. The more interventionist grounds on which judges will control the substance of some decisions—relevance, proportionality, and legitimate expectations—may involve little deference, depending on the type of decision and the context in which it is made. Each of these interventionist doctrines gives the judges the opportunity to do justice for a claimant and to improve public administration. For the very same reasons, each doctrine poses a danger that the judges will make themselves into surrogate administrators by overextending the grounds of judicial review.
Chapter
14. Introduction to Judicial and Dispute Resolution Functions
This chapter provides an overview of the themes covered in Part IV of the book. Chapter 15 examines the constitutional position of judges within the United Kingdom, looking in particular at judicial independence and at the process by which judges are appointed. Chapter 16 looks at redress mechanisms outside the court system—a terrain often referred to as the landscape of ‘administrative justice’. Chapters 17–19 examines judicial review of the legality of actions taken by public authorities; Chapter 20 examines the use of human rights arguments against these authorities.
Book
Helen Rutherford, Birju Kotecha, and Angela Macfarlane
English Legal System provides understanding of the operation of the legal system which is essential to the laying of a solid foundation on which to build further legal study. After offering practical advice on how to study the English Legal System, there is an overview of the nature of law, the sources of law, how the English legal system operates, the courts of England and Wales, and some of the important institutions and personnel of the law. How legislation is made and how it is interpreted is discussed. How judges make law and how this process is governed by the doctrine of judicial precedent are explored. The legal precedent set by a case the ratio decidendi, and other statements of law, obiter dicta, are explained. The book considers the impact of membership of the European Union (EU), being a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and Brexit. The institutions and personnel of the law: juries, judges, and lawyers are covered. The criminal process, from arrest to trial, to sentencing, is explained and analysed. Resolution of disputes through the civil courts and tribunals is explained, as is the civil process. Alternative methods of dispute resolution are considered.
Chapter
4. Due process
This chapter explains the overlapping ideas of natural justice, procedural fairness, and due process, and discusses the importance of comity between judges and administrative agencies. The elements of process are outlined: notice and disclosure, oral hearings, waiver, reconsideration, and appeals. Proportionality is presented as a general principle of the procedural duties of public authorities, and the chapter explains the three process values: procedural requirements can improve decisions, treat people with respect, and subject the administration to the rule of law. The chapter explains the irony of process: the law must sometimes require procedures that impose disproportionate burdens on administrative authorities, in order to protect due process. The chapter concludes with an explanation of discretion in process and of the potential dangers involved in administrative processes.
Book
Alisdair Gillespie and Siobhan Weare
The English Legal System presents the main areas of the legal system and encourages a critique of the wider aspects of how law is made and reformed. The book is structured in five parts. Part I looks at the sources of law including domestic and international sources. Part II looks at the courts and the practitioners. It considers the structure of the courts and tribunals, judges and judicial independence, the legal professions, and legal aid. Part III examines the criminal justice system. It describes issues related to lay justice, trials, and criminal appeals. The next part is about the civil justice system. It looks at civil litigation, remedies, appeals and alternative dispute resolution, as well as the funding of civil litigation. The final part looks to the future.
Book
Alisdair Gillespie and Siobhan Weare
The English Legal System presents the main areas of the legal system and encourages a critique of the wider aspects of how law is made and reformed. The book is structured in five parts. Part I looks at the sources of law including domestic and international sources. Part II looks at the courts and the practitioners. It considers the structure of the courts and tribunals, judges and judicial independence, the legal professions, and legal aid. Part III examines the criminal justice system. It describes issues related to lay justice, trials, and criminal appeals. The next part is about the civil justice system. It looks at civil litigation, remedies, appeals and alternative dispute resolution, as well as the funding of civil litigation. The final part looks to the future.
