This book introduces students to the distinct legal traditions that make up the South African legal system.

The Limits of Criminal Law shines light from the outer edges of the criminal law in to better understand its core. From a framework of core principles, different borders are explored to test out where criminal law's normative or performative limits are, in particular, the borders of crime with tort, non-criminal enforcement, medical law, business regulation, administrative sanctions, counter-terrorism and intelligence law.The volume carefully juxtaposes and compares English and German law on each of these borders, drawing out underlying concepts and key comparative lessons. Each country offers insights beyond their own laws. This double perspective sharpens readers critical understanding of the criminal law, and at the same time produces insights that go beyond the perspective of one legal tradition.The book does not promote a single normative view of the limits of criminal law, but builds a detailed picture of the limits that exist now and why they exist now. This evidence-led approach is particularly important in an ever more interconnected world in which different perceptions of criminal law can lead to profound misunderstandings between countries. The Limits of Criminal Law builds picture of what shapes the criminal law, where those limits come from, and what might motivate legal systems to strain, ignore or strengthen those limits. Some of the most interesting insights come out of the comparison between German systematic approach and doctrinal limits with English laws focus on process and judgment on individual questions.

This accessible textbook provides an introductory guide to tort law, with a structured explanation of the key concepts and doctrines. Using a comparative approach, the discussion is illustrated with case law and provisions from three key jurisdictions: England, France and Germany. With liberal reference to other codes and cases from around the world, the book gives readers a contextual understanding and will appeal to classes with a global outlook. Key Features: Examples of different solutions show how tort law is implemented in a variety of jurisdictions Direct comparison of legal systems helps readers to match different kinds of property or damage in civil and common law systems Translated provisions from codes and statutes facilitate access to the systems of French and German law in particular Clarification of corresponding concepts and terminology, as well as guidelines and examples to help readers find their way in a legal environment that is not restricted to a single jurisdiction Introductory guidance to tort law systems outside Europe Providing readers with a working knowledge of major tort law systems as well as a greater understanding of the main concepts in tort law, this textbook will be an important resource for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Reflecting the most recent changes in the law, the third edition of this popular textbook provides a fully updated, comparative introduction to the law of contract. Accessible and clear, it is perfectly pitched for international students and courses with a global outlook. Jan Smits' unique approach treats contract law as a discipline that can be studied on the basis of common principles and methods without being tied to a particular jurisdiction or legal culture. He puts contract law in context by discussing empirical and economic insights. Notable updates include the consequences of Brexit, the implementation of new European directives 1999/770 and 2019/771 as well as coverage of the effect of COVID-19 on contracts. Key features of the third edition include: Introduces key principles by comparing solutions from different jurisdictions, illustrating for students the international nature and substance of contract law Draws from a wide variety of sources including German, English, French and Dutch law, European and international instruments, and examples from Central and Eastern Europe and Islamic contract law, making this an ideal textbook for students across Europe and beyond Focuses on legal method as well as substantive law Attractive and accessible design with text boxes, colour and graphics to help students navigate easily and identify key information. With its innovative approach and engaging design, this textbook has proved an essential companion to introductory courses on contract law across a multitude of jurisdictions.

A book series devoted to the common foundations of the European legal systems. The Ius Commune Europaeum series includes comparative legal studies as well as studies on the effect of treaties within national legal systems. All areas of the law are covered. The books are published in various European languages under the auspices of METRO, the Institute for Transnational Legal Research at Maastricht University. This book discusses the impact of EU law on selected national legal systems. The authors analyse how the civil procedure system of their country has reacted to increasing Europeanisation and influence of EU law. They identify significant changes and disseminate the reasons for particular developments and the further implications of EU law on the civil procedure.Europe is in a period of increasing Europeanisation of civil procedure. Procedural elements of EU law are based on decentralised enforcement, leaving enforcement and procedural issues to the Member States. Consequently, there is vast amount of EU case law that is relevant for national procedural law. The supremacy of EU law and, inter alia, the requirements of effectiveness and equivalence may be relevant for several topics of national civil procedural law, for example ex officio application of EU law, enforcement, insolvency proceedings, evidence, etc. Both EU legislation and doctrinal changes in EU case law touch upon various topics of the procedural law of the Member States. In a concluding chapter, a more comprehensive comparison between the countries represented in the book is made. Which doctrines, which pieces of legislation or features in legislation pose problems for national civil procedure? Are some legal systems or topics more prone to integrate European rules, and are others more resistant to changes? This book displays the Europeanisation of national civil procedure law and helps to understand this development from the perspective of Member States.

Equality is an ideal to which we all aspire. Yet the more closely we examine it, the more its meaning shifts. How do we explain how equal treatment can in effect lead to inequality, while unequal treatment might be necessary in order to achieve equality? The apparent paradox can be understood if we accept that equality can be formulated in different ways, depending on which underlying conception is chosen. In this highly readable yet challenging book, Sandra Fredman examines the ways in which discrimination law addresses these questions.
The new edition retains the format of the highly successful first edition, while incorporating the many new developments in discrimination law since 2002, including the Equality Act 2010, human rights law, and EU law. By using a thematic approach, the book illuminates the major issues in discrimination law, while at the same time imparting a detailed understanding of the legal provisions. The comparative approach is particularly helpful; by examining comparable law in the US, India, Canada, and South Africa, as well as the UK, the book exposes common problems and canvasses differing solutions. As in the previous edition, the book locates discrimination in its wider social and historical context. Drawing on the author's wide experience of equality law in many jurisdictions, she creates an analytic framework to assess the substantive law.
The book is a thought-provoking and accessible overview of the way in which equality law has adjusted to new and increasingly complex challenges. It concludes that progress has been evident, but uneven. Those dedicated to equality still face an exacting, but ultimately deeply rewarding, task.

This is a study of the law governing the bank-customer relationship pertaining to the disposition of funds by cheques and credit transfers, covering both paper-based and electronic payments. The work addresses, with various degrees of detail, common law, civilian, and `mixed' jurisdictions, particularly, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and the United States. In addition to the description of the law in these jurisdictions, the book contains an in-depth analysis of the common issues and the responses to them, in light of desired policies. Accordingly, an evaluation of the various rules and proposals for reform are integral parts of the study.

This concise primer offers an introduction to U.S. law from a comparative perspective, explaining not only the main features of American law and legal culture, but also how and why it differs from that of other countries. Gerrit De Geest initially focuses on the core characteristics of American law, such as the predominance of judge-made law, the significance of state law and the vital role that juries play in the legal process. De Geest then moves on to provide a succinct analysis of U.S. legal culture, before summarizing the principal differences in law and legal cultures around the world. Key features include: A thorough introduction to the main elements of U.S. law for international students A concise, accessible style illustrated with lively anecdotes and discussion of relevant foundational cases Explanation of the historical and cultural roots of law in the U.S. and other countries to provide context for differences. Students beginning LLM programs in the U.S., in particular international students, will find this primer invaluable reading. It will also be of interest to pre-law and comparative law students.

This indispensable book offers a concise comparative introduction to international commercial arbitration. With reference to recent case law from leading jurisdictions and up-to-date rules revisions, International Commercial Arbitration provides a comparative analysis of the issues raised in arbitration, from the time of drafting of the arbitration clause to the rendering of the arbitral award and the post-award stage. Combining perspectives from both practice and academia, Franco Ferrari, Friedrich Rosenfeld and Consultant Editor John Fellas examine all the key points of international commercial arbitration. After introductory remarks on the applicable normative framework, the book covers arbitration agreements and their enforcement, the initiation of proceedings and the constitution of the tribunal, the taking of evidence, issues arising in complex arbitrations, as well as the award and the post-award regime. Scholars and students of international commercial arbitration across the globe will find this book invaluable for its comparative analysis. It will also be most useful for arbitration practitioners and judges interested in learning how jurisdictions differ in their approaches to arbitration proceedings.

This revised second edition of Comparative Tort Law offers an updated and enriched framework for analysing and understanding the current state of tort law around the world. Using a critical comparative methodology, it examines common issues such as causation, economic and non-economic damages, product and professional liability, and the relationship between tort law and crime, insurance and public welfare schemes. Featuring contributions from international experts, this book also provides a comprehensive comparative assessment of tort law cultures, contextualising them within the legal systems and societies that sustain them. Chapters cover many jurisdictions often overlooked in the mainstream literature, and explore illuminating case studies from tort systems in Europe, the US, Latin America, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, including new chapters specifically discussing tort law in Brazil, India and Russia. Comparative Tort Law is a critical tool for students, scholars and academic researchers, especially those specialising in tort and comparative law. It will also be useful to policymakers, practitioners and judges, in particular those dealing with differing tort law systems.

Foundations of Public Contracts undertakes an in-depth survey of the foundations of public contracts in three legal systems: American, French, and Brazilian. The comparison of these three systems highlights the legal phenomenon's historical, philosophical, and social origins. The book transcends the functional commonalities to penetrate into how American, French, and Brazilian lawyers think about the essence of government contracts law, the phenomenon of exceptionalism: preferential treatment that public procurement law provides to the state in its contractual dealing with private entities. Comparative public law professors and students will find great value in this exploration of the material sources of public contracts, an area that has heretofore received little attention in legal academia.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Drawing on historical, normative, theoretical, and economic methodologies, Pier Giuseppe Monateri offers a fresh critical analysis of various dimensions of comparative law methods. Comprehensive and engaging with a multidisciplinary approach, this Advanced Introduction spans the fields of comparative legal studies, law and finance and global law. Key features include: uses analysis of current issues to offer a genuinely advanced perspective use of theory for evaluating methods and approaches in comparative law a comprehensive treatment of the main themes and approaches in comparative law discussions. This insightful Advanced Introduction will be an excellent resource for both law students and scholars alike. It will also be a useful guide for those working in international law, as well as law clerks and legal advisors. Professor Emeritus, Kent Law School, UK

This thought-provoking book combines analysis of international commercial and investment treaty arbitration to examine how they have been framed by the twin tensions of "in/formalisation" and "glocalisation". Taking a comparative approach, the book focuses on Australia and Japan in their attempts to become regional hubs for international arbitration and dispute resolution services in the increasingly influential Asia-Pacific context as well as a global context. Interweaving historical, empirical and doctrinal research from over two decades of work in the field, Luke Nottage provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the shifting state of arbitration over this period. Chapters incorporate empirical findings on topics such as case disposition times for arbitration-related court proceedings, media coverage of arbitration and Arb-Med patterns in Japanese arbitrations. The book also makes normative arguments for more concerted bilateral and regional efforts to maintain global approaches and to encourage renewed informalisation in international arbitration. This book will be an invaluable read for both scholars and practitioners of international commercial arbitration and dispute resolution, particularly those in or involved with the Asia-Pacific region. Government policy-makers and investment treaty negotiators will also find its insights useful.

Comparing the structures and challenges of democratic constitutionalism in India and the European Union, this book explores how democracy is possible within vastly diverse societies of continental scale, and why a constitutional framework is best able to secure the ideals of collective autonomy and individual dignity. It contributes to an emerging comparative discussion on structures of power, separation of powers and a comparative law of democracy, which has been long neglected in comparative constitutional studies. This timely and invigorating book showcases a novel comparative approach termed "slow comparison" counters the conceptual focus on nation-states in comparative studies and develops a broader understanding of democratic constitutionalism. In the context of the contemporary crisis of constitutional democracy, triggered by populism, majoritarianism and authoritarianism, chapters continue older ongoing debates about multiculturalism, identity politics and democratic equality that hold important insights for both India and the EU to deal with contemporary challenges. This book will be an important read for scholars of comparative constitutional law and theory. It will also benefit those studying EU law and Indian constitutional law.

Shareholder inspection rights form an important tool for shareholder protection. They offer shareholders seeking information private access to specific books and records of the company that are otherwise not publicly available. While there has been a discourse on the topic in some jurisdictions such as Delaware (USA), it has not received scholarly treatment at an international level. This Research Handbook seeks to alter that, and signifies the first endeavor to engage in a comprehensive and comparative analysis of shareholder inspection rights across 19 different jurisdictions representing five continents. Themes emerging from the study include the historical evolution of inspection rights, the statutory design of the inspection regime, how inspection rights interact with disclosure norms under securities regulation, and the manner in which inspection rights are actually utilized by shareholders. While there is some commonality among jurisdictions, the larger story is one of divergence, which is understandable since local needs tend to drive the design and operation of the regime. The Research Handbook on Shareholder Inspection Rights is invaluable to academics, scholars, and students working the area of corporate law and governance, legal practitioners working in corporate law and, in particular, shareholder litigation and regulators and government bodies overseeing the corporate sector, including corporate and securities regulators.

With the transfer of ever more tasks and competences to the European level the EU's administration has become increasingly complex, with 'agencification' as the most visible sign of this differentiation. This book offers a much-needed analytical overview of the field, with the aim of improving our understanding of administration at the European level, and indeed of improving the administration itself. Importantly, the book takes a comparative approach, examining the parallels and differences with the US law of administrative organization - and demonstrates that it is not sufficient to consider the respective laws of important Member States in isolation. Using this comparison as a vehicle, the book provides a rounded conceptualization of the law of administrative organization of the EU. This includes a reasoned proposal for a reformed Art. 298 TFEU to address deficiencies in the EU's administrative organization and to enhance administrative legitimacy in the EU. Legal scholars undertaking research in the field of European and administrative law and civil servants working for Member States or European institutions will appreciate the scholarly thoroughness of this book.

Lawyers usually describe a revolution as a change in a constitutional order not authorized by law. From this perspective, to speak of a 'lawful' or an 'unlawful' revolution would seem to involve a category mistake. However, since at least the 19th century, courts in many jurisdictions have had to adjudicate claims involving questions about the extent to which what is in fact a revolutionary change can result in the creation of a legally valid regime. In this book, the authors examine some of these judgments. Adjudicating Revolution includes, first, cases in which courts decide to recognize the actions of a de facto regime under a doctrine of necessity, with the objective of maintaining public order. Second, cases where courts directly confront the question of whether a revolution has resulted in the creation of a genuinely new constitutional order. Finally, cases in which courts are asked by state officials to recognize, in advance, the validity of otherwise revolutionary changes (i.e. the irregular creation of a new constitution) proposed by state officials. The book examines, from a theoretical and comparative perspective, judgments from North and Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Placing the cases in their historical and political context, the authors provide an understanding of key moments in the constitutional history of the relevant jurisdictions. The resulting analysis will be of interest to academics and graduate students of comparative constitutional law and constitutional theory, political science, and related disciplines.

Comparative Dispute Resolution offers an original, wide-ranging, and invaluable corpus of essays on dispute resolution. Enriched by a broad, comparative vision and a focus on the processes used to handle disputes, this study adds significantly to the discourse around comparative legal studies. From a comparative perspective, this Research Handbook analyses the field of dispute processing, generally and across a broad range of legal systems and their legal cultures. It explores the nature of disputes and the range of basic processes used in their resolution, examining emerging issues in theory and practice and analysing differing traditions of dispute resolution and their 'modernisation'. Offering a balanced combination of theory and praxis, chapters present new understandings of theoretical, comparative and transnational dimensions of the manner in which societies and their legal systems respond to difficulties in social relations. Showcasing opportunities for new research and debate, Comparative Dispute Resolution will be helpful to practitioners and those engaged in the practise of handling disputes. Students and scholars in disciplines such as law, sociology, politics and psychology will also find this topical Research Handbook useful in their understanding of the theory and practice of disputing and dispute management, legal reform and enhanced access to justice.

As public infrastructure, health and other services are being delivered more frequently through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and concessions, this timely book explores these complex contractual arrangements involving cooperation between public and private sectors. It considers how PPPs have become increasingly prevalent following the 2008 financial crisis and examines the applicable legal regimes that are still, to a large extent, unclear to many. Containing in-depth investigation into EU law and comparative national experiences in relation to PPPs and concessions in 7 EU Member States and the UK, the contributions in this incisive book address the weak points in the current legal regime. Chapters analyse the risks faced by contracting authorities in connection to PPPs and concessions while highlighting good practices from different countries that may be considered for wider adoption across the EU. Public-Private Partnerships and Concessions in the EU will be a key resource for scholars and students of public administrative law and businesses seeking to procure contracts to create PPPs, as well as being of value to practitioners and policy makers at both EU and national levels. Contributors include: P. Bogdanowicz, K. Bonsignore, R. Caranta, P. Cerqueira Gomes, A. Christidis, M.E. Comba, D.C. Dragos, N. Gabayet, C. Kroenke, P. Patrito, C. Risvig Hamer, P. Telles, P. Valcarcel Fernandez, R. Vornicu

Drawing insights from economics and political science, Judging Regulators explains why the administrative law of the US and the UK has radically diverged from each other on questions of law, fact, and discretion. This book proposes an original interdisciplinary theory that integrates the concept of veto-gates into a strategic model of judicial review of administrative action. It argues that long-term changes in the number of effective veto-gates in the US and the UK are the key to understanding the antithesis that emerged between their administrative jurisprudence. It then forecasts the future of Anglo-American administrative law in light of recent destabilizing political developments, such as attempts by the US Congress to abolish Chevron deference and the UK Supreme Court's interventionist decision in R (on the application of Miller) v. The Prime Minister. A crucial overview of the history and future of administrative law, this book is critical reading for scholars and students of public law and comparative law, particularly those focusing on comparative administrative law in common law contexts. Its theoretical insights will also be useful for political scientists and economists interested in judicial politics and regulation.

This insightful book guides readers through the transformation of, and theoretical challenges posed by, the separation of powers in national contexts. Building on the notion that the traditional tripartite structure of the separation of powers has undergone a significant process of fragmentation and expansion, this book identifies and illustrates the most pressing and intriguing aspects of the separation of powers in contemporary constitutional systems. Chapters explore the social foundations of the doctrine of the separation of powers, its relationship to direct democracy, the role of constitutional courts and the rise of the administrative state. Expert contributors analyse power structures and the separation of powers across new constitutions in central Europe, examining the transformations of political parties and testing the limits of the doctrine alongside a reimagining of the judicial review process. This timely book concludes with a historical perspective on the doctrine and a case study considering a possible new separation of powers in North Africa and the Middle East. This unique book will be of interest to students and academics of comparative constitutional law, as well as constitutional and political theorists, lawyers and judges.

This innovative book explores forgotten disputes over intellectual property and the ways in which authors, inventors, publishers, courts, and sovereigns have managed these disputes throughout the centuries. With an eye on reform, it chronicles the resilience of legal rules and challenges the methodology behind traditional legal analyses. Disentangling lore from traditions, expert contributors incorporate contextual understandings that are rooted in history, sociology, political science, and literary studies into their analyses. They explore the context of particular cases to reveal the ramifications of specific doctrines for the evolution of intellectual property practices. Chapters illuminate the various facets of intellectual property lore: contract, authorship, common law, and wartime property. Utilising novel methods and previously unpublished materials on copyright, patent, and trademark law, the book examines legal history and developments from multiple perspectives. This rich and accessible book will prove to be a valuable resource for students, academics of intellectual property law, and legal historians. Its use of new materials and exploration of key cases will also be beneficial for intellectual property legal practitioners.

Comparative law scholars have long recognised the importance of looking beyond legal texts and incorporating interdisciplinary methods into the study of law, yet in practice such use of non-legal methods has remained modest. Interdisciplinary Comparative Law illuminates why the doctrinal approach to legal research has retained its strong position, offering a critical analysis of the difficulties of interdisciplinarity. Incisive and ambitious in scope, the book highlights why the comparative study of law benefits from employing the methods of other disciplines. Chapters explore the various ways in which different fields can learn from each other, taking a deep dive into the respective studies of legal history, linguistics, literature, economics, social theory, and international law. The result is a vibrant cross-section of the contrasts and parallels between the practices of law and other areas of research, demonstrating which are the easiest for comparatists to grasp and implement, and which present obstacles for the application of non-legal methods. This cutting-edge book is an essential read for advanced students and scholars of law and legal studies. Its diagnosis of interdisciplinarity as both a boon and bane in the study of law will be of especial interest to comparative law scholars.