英国司法

Chapter9JusticeandtheLawNovember,2007XiaoHuiyunPicturesA1Introduction–BasicPrinciplesofEnglishLawTheRuleofLaw,NaturalLawandNaturalJusticeTheRuleofLawisanaspectoftheBritishConstitution.Itinvolves:Therightsofindividualsaredeterminedbylegalrulesandnotthearbitrarybehaviourofauthorities.Therecanbenopunishmentunlessacourtdecidestherehasbeenabreachoflaw.Everyone,regardlessofyourpositioninsociety,issubjecttothelaw.A1Introduction–BasicPrinciplesofEnglishLawcontNaturalLaw:Asystemofuniversalmoralandethicalprinciplesthatareinherentinhumannatureandthatpeoplecandiscoverbyusingtheirnaturalintelligence(e.g.,murderiswrong;parentsareresponsiblefortheactsoftheirminorchildren)NaturalLawishigherthanMan-madelaw.Eg.NurembergWarCrimesTrialNaturalJustice--reflectionsofprevailingmoralviewofsociety.NaturalLawTheoryItholdsthatthereareuniversalmoralprinciples,whicharefoundedin“humannature.”Anysetofuniversalmoralprinciplescanbeconsideredasetofnaturalmorallaw.Thesetheoriesmaintainthatmoralityisfoundeduponcharacteristicsthathumanshare;moralrightsandobligationsaredeterminedbythelimitationsandpossibilitiesthatareinherenttothehumannature.Basicprinciples–simplesum-upTheruleoflaw----everybodyissubjecttothelaw----lawsmustnotbearbitrary----apersonisinnocentuntilprovenguiltyNaturallaw----alawishigherthanaman-madelawNaturaljustice----reflectionoftheprevailingmoralviewofthesocietyA1Introduction--TwobranchesoflawCivillaw--definesandenforcesthedutiesorobligationsofpersonstooneanother.Criminallaw--bycontrast,definesandenforcestheobligationsofpersonstosocietyasawhole.A1Introduction–SourcesofBritishLawCommonLaw–decidedbyjudges,theirdecisionsincasesbeingarrivedatafterconsideringthecustomsandpracticesofthepeopleinvolved.ThiskindoflawhasevolvedlongbeforeParliamentbecamethemainlaw-makingbody.StatuteLaw–madebyParliamentCaseLaw–hasevolvedthroughdecisionsinactualtrialsEuropeanUnionlawA1TheSupremacyofParliamentParliamentcanpass,repealandalteranyofBritain’slaws.Thisisoneofthemajorpowersthatagovernmenthas.Parliamentalsohasthepower–aftergoingthroughitsownparliamentaryprocesses–ofalteringitsownlaws.IntheorythereisnobodythatcandeclarealawpassedbyParliamentasunconstitutional-thoughthefullimpactoftheEuropeanCourtisnotyetknown.ButdecisionsoftheEuropeanCourtmustbeacceptedinUK.A2StructureoftheCourtsCriminal&CivilLawPrecedenceThelegalsysteminEngland&WalesThelegalsysteminScotlandTheCourtSystemCivilbranchCriminalbranchCountyCourtMagistrates’Court(JPs,stipendiarymagistrates)CrownCourtHighCourt(QBD,CCD,FD)CourtofAppealCourtofAppealSupremeCourtCourtcont1.TheMagistrate'sCourtshearcriminaltrials2.Amagistrateisalsocalledajusticeofthepeace3.Theydealwithalmost97%ofallcriminalcases4.Sixmonthsisthemaximumsentencegiven5.MagistratesareoftennotlegallyqualifiedCourtscontMagistrates’CourtTheoverwhelmingmajorityofthepublicwhocomeintocontactwiththecourtsystemwilldosowiththeMagistrates’court,andtherearemorethan700magistrates’courtsinEnglandandWales.Itisrareforthesortofcasesdealtwithinthesecourtstograbthenation’sattention,orhittheheadlines.However,thesecourtsareavitalcoginthewheelofjustice,andnearlyalloftheUK’scriminalswillpassthroughtheirdoors.CourtscontTheCrownCourtTheCrownCourtdealswithallindictablecases,whichareseriousoffencestriablebeforeajudgeandjury,andtheseincludemurder,rape,seriousassault,kidnapping,conspiracy,fraud,armedrobbery,andOfficialSecretsActoffences.Theseoffencescannotbetriedatthemagistrates’court.CourtscontTheHighCourtTheHighCourtisacivilcourtandhastheauthoritytohearanycivilcaseinEnglandandWales.Ithandleseverythingfromlibelandlitigationtoshippingcasesanddivorce.AlongwiththeCourtofAppeal,itisbasedatthegothicbuildingoftheRoyalCourtsofJusticeontheStrand,London,butalsositsat26townsaroundthecountry.CourtscontCourtofappealIfaconvictedpersonfeelsheorshehasnothadafairtrialintheCrownCourt/HighCourtandhasbeenwrongfullyconvicted,orthatthesentenceimposedbythejudgesisunfair,thenheorshecantaketheircasetotheCourtofAppeal,wheremoreseniorjudgeswillconsiderthemeritsoftheircase.CourtscontTheHouseofLords(tobereplacedbySupremeCourt)*Thehighestlawcourt*TheLawLordsconductafairlyrelaxedcourt--dresslikebusinessmentohearcases--sitateyelevel,behindahorseshoe-shapedtable--rarelyattendpoliticaldebateLordChancellor--CharlesLeslieFalconer,BaronFalconerofThoroton,SecretaryofStateforConstitutionalAffairsCharlesLeslieFalconer,BaronFalconerofThorotonConstitutionalReformBillDuring2003,LabourdevelopedaConstitutionalReformBill:AbolishtheLordChancellorandhisdepartment,replacewithSecretaryofStateforConstitutionalAffairsSetupSupremeCourttoreplaceLawLordsChangestoappointmentofjudgesProgressoftheBillLackofconsultationbeforehandcausedmuchdifficultyinbothHousesandwithpublicLordsmademanyamendmentsBillfinallyapprovedMarch2005ConstitutionalReformAct2005(1)LordChancellorremains,butwithmuchlesspoweroverjudiciaryandnolongerautomaticallySpeakerofLordsTitlewillusuallybeheldbytheSecretaryofStateforConstitutionalAffairsHoldercancomefromeitherHouseConstitutionalReformAct2005(2)N