法律英语案例赏析

法律英语案例赏析李想Syllabus1.Briefintroductionoflaw2.CasesforConstitution/CriminalLaw/CivilLaw/ContractLaw/CompanyLaw/CopyrightLaw/EnvironmentProtectionLaw/PropertyLaw/LawofMarriage/3.Fourdebateordiscussionovermoives.NoticeNohomeworkbutdoreviewthelecture.Attendenceisveryimportant.(Absence:3times).ContactsE-mailaddress:[e-mail]essequippedwiththreesymbolsoftheruleoflaw:aswordsymbolizingthecourt'scoercivepower;scalesrepresentingtheweighingofcompetingclaims;andablindfoldindicatingimpartiality.KingHammurabiisrevealedthecodeoflawsbytheMesopotamiansungodShamash,alsoreveredasthegodofjusticeIntroductiontolawLawisasystemofrules,usuallyenforcedthroughasetofinstitutions.Itshapespolitics,economicsandsocietyinnumerouswaysandservesasaprimarysocialmediatorinrelationsbetweenpeople.Contractlawregulateseverythingfrombuyingabustickettotradingonderivativesmarkets.Propertylawdefinesrightsandobligationsrelatedtothetransferandtitleofpersonal(oftenreferredtoaschattel)andrealproperty.Trustlawappliestoassetsheldforinvestmentandfinancialsecurity,whiletortlawallowsclaimsforcompensationifaperson'srightsorpropertyareharmed(oftenconsideredcivilcaseiffiledunderanissueoftortlawvs.criminal).Iftheharmiscriminalisedinpenalcode,criminallawoffersmeansbywhichthestatecanprosecutetheperpetrator.Constitutionallawprovidesaframeworkforthecreationoflaw,theprotectionofhumanrightsandtheelectionofpoliticalrepresentatives.Administrativelawisusedtoreviewthedecisionsofgovernmentagencies,whileinternationallawgovernsaffairsbetweensovereignnationstatesinactivitiesrangingfromtradetoenvironmentalregulationormilitaryaction.Writingin350BC,theGreekphilosopherAristotledeclared,Theruleoflawisbetterthantheruleofanyindividual.Legalsystemselaboraterightsandresponsibilitiesinavarietyofways.Ageneraldistinctioncanbemadebetweencivillawjurisdictions,whichcodifytheirlaws,andcommonlawsystems,wherejudgemadelawisnotconsolidated.Insomecountries,religionstillinformsthelaw.Lawprovidesarichsourceofscholarlyinquiry,intolegalhistory,philosophy,economicanalysisorsociology.Lawalsoraisesimportantandcomplexissuesconcerningequality,fairnessandjustice.Initsmajesticequality,saidtheauthorAnatoleFrancein1894,thelawforbidsrichandpooraliketosleepunderbridges,beginthestreetsandstealloavesofbread.Inatypicaldemocracy,thecentralinstitutionsforinterpretingandcreatinglawarethethreemainbranchesofgovernment,namelyanimpartialjudiciary,ademocraticlegislature,andanaccountableexecutive.Toimplementandenforcethelawandprovideservicestothepublic,agovernment'sbureaucracy,themilitaryandpolicearevital.Whilealltheseorgansofthestatearecreaturescreatedandboundbylaw,anindependentlegalprofessionandavibrantcivilsocietyinformandsupporttheirprogress.DifferentCategoriessubstantivelawandprocedurallaw;civillawsystemandcommonlawsystem;departmentsoflaw:Constitution/Administrativelaw/TortLaw/CriminalLaw/CivilLaw/InternationalLaw/ContractLaw/CompanyLaw/CopyrightLaw/EnvironmentProtectionLaw/ConsumerLaw/PropertyLaw/LawofMarriage,etc.SubstantivelawandprocedurallawSubstantivelawisthestatutoryorwrittenlawthatgovernsrightsandobligationsofthosewhoaresubjecttoit.Substantivelawdefinesthelegalrelationshipofpeoplewithotherpeopleorbetweenthemandthestate.Substantivelawstandsincontrasttoprocedurallaw.Procedurallawcomprisestherulebywhichacourthearsanddetermineswhathappensincivillawsuit,criminaloradministrativeproceedings.Therulesaredesignedtoensureafairandconsistentapplicationofdueprocess(intheU.S.)orfundamentaljustice(inothercommonlawcountries)toallcasesthatcomebeforeacourt.whichcomprisestherulesbywhichacourthearsanddetermineswhathappensincivilorcriminalproceedings.Procedurallawdealswiththemethodandmeansbywhichsubstantivelawismadeandadministered.Thetimeallowedforonepartytosueanotherandtherulesoflawgoverningtheprocessofthelawsuitareexamplesofprocedurallaws.Substantivelawdefinescrimesandpunishments(inthecriminallaw)aswellascivilrightsandresponsibilitiesincivillaw.Itiscodifiedinlegislatedstatutesorcanbeenactedthroughtheinitiativeprocess.procedurallawDifferenceAnotherwayofsummarizingthedifferencebetweensubstantiveandproceduralisasfollows:Substantiverulesoflawdefinerightsandduties,whileproceduralrulesoflawprovidethemachineryforenforcingthoserightsandduties.However,thewaytothiscleardifferentiationbetweensubstantivelawand,servingthesubstantivelaw,procedurallawhasbeenlong,sinceintheRomancivilproceduretheactioincludedbothsubstantiveandproceduralelements.CivillawsystemCivillawisthelegalsystemusedinmostcountriesaroundtheworldtoday.Incivillawthesourcesrecognisedasauthoritativeare,primarily,legislation—especiallycodificationsinconstitutionsorstatutespassedbygovernment—andcustom.CommonlawsystemCommonlawandequityarelegalsystemswheredecisionsbycourtsareexplicitlyacknowledgedtobelegalsources.Thedoctrineofprecedent,orstaredecisis(Latinfortostandbydecisions)meansthatdecisionsbyhighercourtsbindlowercourts.Commonlawsystemsalsorelyonstatutes,passedbythelegislature,butmaymakelessofasystematic