英美司法制度Lecture 4 Judicial System

Lecture4JudicialSystemTheOutlineJudicialSysteminBritainJudicialSysteminAmericaJudgesMagistratesJuryGroupAssignmentJudicialSysteminBritainHouseofLordsCourtofAppealCivilDivisionCriminalDivisionHighCourtCrownCourtQueen’sBenchDivisionFamilyDivisionChanceryDivisionCountyCourtMagistrates’CourtCivilCriminalJudicialSysteminBritainMagistrates’courtCivilcases:familyproceedings,adoption,matrimonialviolence,renewandrevokelicensesforliquorandetc.Criminalcases:thevastmajorityofcriminalcases,beingofarelativelyminorortrivialnature;preliminaryhearingsinallcriminalcases.(tomakesurewhether,onthefaceoftheevidence,thereisacaseagainsttheaccused.)JudicialSysteminBritainCountyCourtsmallclaimsproceedingsandfasttrackcases.(tort,contract,bankruptcycases)FromApril1999,accordingtotheCivilJusticeReform,thesmallclaimlimitrosefrom₤3,000to5,000,exceptforpersonalinjuryclaimswhichwillbelimitedto₤1,000.JudicialSysteminBritainQueen’sBenchDivisionThemaincivilworkofthiscourtisincontractcases,tortcasesandmaritimecases.Italsodealswithsomecriminalappeals(appealsonpointoflaw)andjudicialreviews.JudicialSysteminBritainChanceryDivisionItisthemodernsuccessortotheoldCourtofChancery.Ithasjurisdictionoversaleofland,mortgage,trusts,bankruptcy,thevalidityandinterpretationofwills,companylaw,partnerships,andpatent.Insideittherearetwospecialistcourts:PatentscourtandCompaniesCourt.JudicialSysteminBritainFamilyDivisionItwascreatedbytheAdministrationofJusticeActin1970.Ithasjurisdictionovermatrimonialmatters,legitimacyandadoptionbothfirsttrialandonappeal(hearingappealsfromdecisionsofmagistrate’scourtsinfamilymatters).JudicialSysteminBritainCrownCourtIthascriminaljurisdictionandcriminalappellatejurisdiction.InBritain,about5%ofallcriminalcasesareheardbyCrownCourt.CourtofAppealIthasappellatejurisdictionovercivilcasesandcriminalcases.JudicialSysteminBritainTheHouseofLordsActinginitsjudicialcapacity,asopposedtoitslegislativeone,theHouseofLordsisthefinalcourtofappealincivilaswellasincriminal.ItsjudgmentsgovernthecourtsinEngland,WalesandNorthernIreland.ItsjudgmentsalsogoverncivillawinScotland.JudicialSysteminBritainTheEuropeanCourtofJusticeItistheultimateauthorityonEuropeanLawtoensurethatininterpretationandapplicationofRomeTreaty(1957)thelawisobserved.Itismadeupofseniorjudgesfromeachmemberstateandapresidentofthecourt.Itisacourtforreference:therulingofthecourtmakesispreliminaryinthesensethatthecaseisthenremittedtothenationalcourtforittoapplythelawtothefacts.JudicialSysteminBritainTheEuropeanCourtofHumanRightsItdoesnotarisefromtheEU.ItarisesfromtheEuropeanConventiononHumanRights(1950),signedby21EuropeanstatesincludingtheU.K.Thesignatorystatesundertooktoensurearangeofhumanandpoliticalrightstothecitizenswithintheirjurisdiction.JudicialSysteminBritainJudicialCommitteeofthePrivyCouncilAspecialcommitteeofthePrivyCouncilwassetuptohearappealsfromcertainCommonwealthCountriessuchasSingapore,Canada,andAustralia.ThedecisionsmadebyJudicialCommitteeofthePrivyCouncilareinfluentialintheseCommonwealthCountries.JudicialSysteminBritainMagistratesIn460magistrates’courtsofBritain,thereare30,000unpaidpart-timelaymagistrates(JusticeofthePeace)and92fulltimeprofessionalstipendiarymagistrates.Tobebarristersorsolicitorsofatleast7yearsisaqualificationforprofessionalstipendiarymagistrates.JurySysteminBritainInU.S.thereareelectedorappointedmagistrates(justicesofthepeace,policejustices).Theyhavejurisdictionovertrafficviolations,pre-hearingsofcriminalcasesandsmallclaims.Theyarealsoinchargeofissuingsearchwarrants,arrestwarrantsandpermitofbails.JudicialSysteminBritainJuryThejurywillweighupevidenceanddecidewhatarethetruefactsofthecase.Thejudgedirectsthemastowhatistherelevantlawandthejurythenhavetoapplytothefactstothatlawandtherebyreachaverdict.Incriminalcases:averdictofguiltyornon-guilty.Incivilcases:howmuchmoneyshouldbeawardedasdamages.JudicialSysteminBritainTheRightofTrialbyJuryInBritain:(1)civilcases:labelandslander;maliciousprosecution;falseimprisonment;andfraud.(2)criminalcases:juriesonlyoperateItheCrownCourt.InU.S.:(1)theU.S.Constitutionguaranteeslitigantsinfederalcourtajurytrialinsuitsatcommonlaw.PartiesinmostU.S.courtmayjoincommonlawandequitableremediesinthesameaction,withoutgivinguptheirrighttoajurytrial.(2)criminalcases:inallcriminalprosecutions,theaccusedshallenjoytherightofjurybytrial.JudicialSysteminBritainQualificationsforJurorsAccordingtoJuriesAct(1974),qualificationsforjuriesare:(1)age:18-70;(2)ontheelectoralregister;(3)aresidentintheU.K.foratleast5years.exceptions:(1)peoplewhohavesentencedtoprisonorayoungoffenders’institute;(2)thejudiciary;(3)thoseconcernedwiththeadministrationofjustice;(4)peoplewithmentalillhealth;(5)peopleonbailincriminalproceedings.JudicialSysteminBritainJurorsarechosenbyrandomballotswornin(ifthereisnochallenge)aunanimousverdictoramajorityverdictahungjuryare-trial.Advantages&DisadvantagesPublicparticipation;timeandcostJudicialSystemInU.S.SomeQuestionsforYou1.HowmanycourtsystemsintheU.S.?2.Whatistherel