World’s Legal
Systems
Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1....................................................................................................................................................... 3
A plurality of legal systems...................................................................................................................................3
How to compare legal systems?...........................................................................................................................4
Legal families/traditions.......................................................................................................................................4
Methodology: how to compare............................................................................................................................4
Issues with comparing..........................................................................................................................................5
Lecture 2 – Civil Law....................................................................................................................................... 5
History of the civil law tradition...........................................................................................................................5
The influence of the Justinian Code: Middle ages................................................................................................6
France and the Napoleonic Code..........................................................................................................................6
Germany and the BGB..........................................................................................................................................7
Delineating traits of ‘civil law systems’................................................................................................................7
Interpretation: Germany.......................................................................................................................................8
Interpretation: France...........................................................................................................................................8
Judicial systems and approaches........................................................................................................................10
Influence of the Civil Law Tradition....................................................................................................................10
Lecture 3 – Common Law............................................................................................................................. 11
The importance of case law................................................................................................................................11
Binding precedent...............................................................................................................................................11
History and development: English Law..............................................................................................................12
Writs and Equity.................................................................................................................................................13
What about statutes?.........................................................................................................................................13
Statutory interpretation: English law.................................................................................................................14
The US: Federalism.............................................................................................................................................15
The US: Constitution...........................................................................................................................................15
Influence of the ‘common law tradition’............................................................................................................16
Lecture 4 – Law, identity and questions of Constitutionality.........................................................................17
What are constitutions?.....................................................................................................................................17
Liberal constitutionalism....................................................................................................................................17
1
, Secularism and the French constitution.............................................................................................................17
UK: a different approach to liberal constitution................................................................................................18
France: The ban on face veils.............................................................................................................................18
Lecture 5 – Indian Law................................................................................................................................. 19
The Hindu Tradition & the verna........................................................................................................................19
Laws of Manu (200 BCE).....................................................................................................................................20
Laws of Manu.....................................................................................................................................................20
Hindu Law?.........................................................................................................................................................21
Influence of the British Empire...........................................................................................................................21
Lecture 6 – International Law....................................................................................................................... 22
What is International Law?................................................................................................................................22
Criteria for Statehood.........................................................................................................................................22
Sources of International Law..............................................................................................................................24
Is International Law, Law?..................................................................................................................................25
Lecture 7 – Consumer and Corporate Debt................................................................................................... 26
Triple structure...................................................................................................................................................26
Law of credit.......................................................................................................................................................26
Contract v state: Kohler......................................................................................................................................27
Contract v State: Jackson....................................................................................................................................27
Consumer bankruptcy.........................................................................................................................................27
Consumer vs corporate bankruptcy....................................................................................................................28
Lecture 8 - Law, Religion and Ethics in Insolvency Law..................................................................................28
Morals and religion:...........................................................................................................................................28
Rome...................................................................................................................................................................29
Italy (Middle Ages)..............................................................................................................................................29
Structural Problems............................................................................................................................................29
Lecture 9 - Tradition v Economy - Debtor Friendly measures.........................................................................29
Lecture 10 - Tradition v Economy (2): Paradigm Shifts in Insolvency (19th Century).......................................31
Lecture 11 – Reform v Tradition: Insolvency laws today p1...........................................................................32
Lecture 12 – Reform v Tradition: Insolvency laws today p2...........................................................................34
2
,Lecture 1
Why are there various different national legal systems?
Why isn’t there one international law?
A plurality of legal systems
What factors contribute to the world’s various different national legal
systems?
- Political considerations -> “inclusion of the people, referendums,
dictatorship etc. make for different systems”
- Economic Considerations -> restrain of government intervention,
private property
- Religion -> Iran: laws must be based on religious criteria
- History -> French revolution: freedom of the working class, or
freedom from colonial rule
- Geographical Factors -> native wildlife, building laws
Legal pluralism = a situation in which two or more legal systems coexist
in the same social field (Merry, 1988). Legal systems can overlap each
other -> EU for example, Or US; federal or state level.
This means that national legal systems are not the only type of legal
systems that exist!
Comparative law = to place comparable elements of two or more legal
systems against each other and determine their similarities and
differences (Bogdan)
Comparison of legal systems, not necessarily the comparison of two
or mor national legal systems.
Why Compare?
- Academic interest
- To gain practical knowledge (for lawyers in cross border manners)
- To acquire a better understanding of our own legal system
- To engage with how the law could be
o Lex Lata -> the law that it currently is
3
, o -> future law, law it could/should be
▪ The lawmaker will need lawyers or legal teams to help
form the law, thus lawyers need to look at the Lex
Ferenda. When the law does not provide enough
information on what (not) to do, lawyers and judges
need to look at how the law is and what it could be.
- To gain a holistic understanding of law in a globalized world (need
for EU knowledge to know if a nation implemented the EU law
correctly)
How to compare legal systems?
How many?
- Bilateral comparison = two legal systems
- Multilateral comparison = more than two
What can we compare?
- Micro-comparisons = focus on the differences and/or similarities that
can be found in respect to specific aspects of legal systems (Specific
rules and institutions)
- Macro-comparisons = focus on legal systems in their totality.
Legal families/traditions
= a conceptual and methodological device of the comparative lawyer.
Legal systems that share the same traditions. They are similar, but
not the same.
Legal families are used to categorize different collections legal
systems (e.g., civil law and common law)
-> Categorize based on certain recognizable characteristics that
pertain to each family
Delineation of legal families can be based on various factors:
It is possible that certain families and systems don’t exist anymore, or
don’t exist jet
- Historical (eg. Romano-Germanic Legal family)
- Political (eg. Socialist Legal Family)
No classification can claim to be timeless.
Methodology: how to compare
Functionalism
Only law which fulfils the same function can be compared. -> core for legal
comparison
Legal systems are created to face real practical problems in a society.
(Rules on theft are there to prevent people from taking things, but may be
designed differently in various nations. However, the goal is the same in
each nation)
Differences are by-products of societies reaching their own conclusions on
how to solve problems by law.
(can’t compare contract law with murder law)
4
, Focussing on a function of a law, is focussing on the broad approach to a
problem. Leave the specifications from the legal systems you know
behind, and look at the broad problem/system.
- What is meant by tertium comparatonis? Function is common
denominator in comparative law.
o Function. Allows comparative analysis.
o Palace and tent are both places to live.
- What is meant by praesumptio similitudinis?
o Presumption of similarity. Different nations are likely to have
to solve the same problems. If you can’t find a similar legal
solution, you should look further.
What if you don’t find it? Is it problematic?
The reason why a law is adopted, is different to its function.
Function. Grammar or concepts could be different, but the function
of the rule is the most important.
Issues with comparing
- Language
- Not knowing where to look
- Interpretation -> English lawyer may focus to much on tradition
- A presumption of conceptual similarities
- A lack of understanding of the social context behind a legal system
Lecture 2 – Civil Law
History of the civil law tradition
Roman empire and Roman law.
Originally composed of unwritten customary law.
The Romans started early on to separate law from religion:
Fas = Religious law
Lus = secular law
450BC – ‘law of the twelve tables’ -> Codification of the unwritten laws.
- Lus civile – Governed the life of roman citizens
- Lus Gentium (When the roman empire grew)– applied to roman
citizens and non-citizens
The latter applied to the whole area the romans had under their rule.
Roman jurists where forced to act on the changes in the growing Roman
empire.
Roman jurists are intertwined in its law. Sociological, political and
economical changes -> considerable body of law.
Codification was seen as a need.
The Codex Lustinianus
5
Systems
Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1....................................................................................................................................................... 3
A plurality of legal systems...................................................................................................................................3
How to compare legal systems?...........................................................................................................................4
Legal families/traditions.......................................................................................................................................4
Methodology: how to compare............................................................................................................................4
Issues with comparing..........................................................................................................................................5
Lecture 2 – Civil Law....................................................................................................................................... 5
History of the civil law tradition...........................................................................................................................5
The influence of the Justinian Code: Middle ages................................................................................................6
France and the Napoleonic Code..........................................................................................................................6
Germany and the BGB..........................................................................................................................................7
Delineating traits of ‘civil law systems’................................................................................................................7
Interpretation: Germany.......................................................................................................................................8
Interpretation: France...........................................................................................................................................8
Judicial systems and approaches........................................................................................................................10
Influence of the Civil Law Tradition....................................................................................................................10
Lecture 3 – Common Law............................................................................................................................. 11
The importance of case law................................................................................................................................11
Binding precedent...............................................................................................................................................11
History and development: English Law..............................................................................................................12
Writs and Equity.................................................................................................................................................13
What about statutes?.........................................................................................................................................13
Statutory interpretation: English law.................................................................................................................14
The US: Federalism.............................................................................................................................................15
The US: Constitution...........................................................................................................................................15
Influence of the ‘common law tradition’............................................................................................................16
Lecture 4 – Law, identity and questions of Constitutionality.........................................................................17
What are constitutions?.....................................................................................................................................17
Liberal constitutionalism....................................................................................................................................17
1
, Secularism and the French constitution.............................................................................................................17
UK: a different approach to liberal constitution................................................................................................18
France: The ban on face veils.............................................................................................................................18
Lecture 5 – Indian Law................................................................................................................................. 19
The Hindu Tradition & the verna........................................................................................................................19
Laws of Manu (200 BCE).....................................................................................................................................20
Laws of Manu.....................................................................................................................................................20
Hindu Law?.........................................................................................................................................................21
Influence of the British Empire...........................................................................................................................21
Lecture 6 – International Law....................................................................................................................... 22
What is International Law?................................................................................................................................22
Criteria for Statehood.........................................................................................................................................22
Sources of International Law..............................................................................................................................24
Is International Law, Law?..................................................................................................................................25
Lecture 7 – Consumer and Corporate Debt................................................................................................... 26
Triple structure...................................................................................................................................................26
Law of credit.......................................................................................................................................................26
Contract v state: Kohler......................................................................................................................................27
Contract v State: Jackson....................................................................................................................................27
Consumer bankruptcy.........................................................................................................................................27
Consumer vs corporate bankruptcy....................................................................................................................28
Lecture 8 - Law, Religion and Ethics in Insolvency Law..................................................................................28
Morals and religion:...........................................................................................................................................28
Rome...................................................................................................................................................................29
Italy (Middle Ages)..............................................................................................................................................29
Structural Problems............................................................................................................................................29
Lecture 9 - Tradition v Economy - Debtor Friendly measures.........................................................................29
Lecture 10 - Tradition v Economy (2): Paradigm Shifts in Insolvency (19th Century).......................................31
Lecture 11 – Reform v Tradition: Insolvency laws today p1...........................................................................32
Lecture 12 – Reform v Tradition: Insolvency laws today p2...........................................................................34
2
,Lecture 1
Why are there various different national legal systems?
Why isn’t there one international law?
A plurality of legal systems
What factors contribute to the world’s various different national legal
systems?
- Political considerations -> “inclusion of the people, referendums,
dictatorship etc. make for different systems”
- Economic Considerations -> restrain of government intervention,
private property
- Religion -> Iran: laws must be based on religious criteria
- History -> French revolution: freedom of the working class, or
freedom from colonial rule
- Geographical Factors -> native wildlife, building laws
Legal pluralism = a situation in which two or more legal systems coexist
in the same social field (Merry, 1988). Legal systems can overlap each
other -> EU for example, Or US; federal or state level.
This means that national legal systems are not the only type of legal
systems that exist!
Comparative law = to place comparable elements of two or more legal
systems against each other and determine their similarities and
differences (Bogdan)
Comparison of legal systems, not necessarily the comparison of two
or mor national legal systems.
Why Compare?
- Academic interest
- To gain practical knowledge (for lawyers in cross border manners)
- To acquire a better understanding of our own legal system
- To engage with how the law could be
o Lex Lata -> the law that it currently is
3
, o -> future law, law it could/should be
▪ The lawmaker will need lawyers or legal teams to help
form the law, thus lawyers need to look at the Lex
Ferenda. When the law does not provide enough
information on what (not) to do, lawyers and judges
need to look at how the law is and what it could be.
- To gain a holistic understanding of law in a globalized world (need
for EU knowledge to know if a nation implemented the EU law
correctly)
How to compare legal systems?
How many?
- Bilateral comparison = two legal systems
- Multilateral comparison = more than two
What can we compare?
- Micro-comparisons = focus on the differences and/or similarities that
can be found in respect to specific aspects of legal systems (Specific
rules and institutions)
- Macro-comparisons = focus on legal systems in their totality.
Legal families/traditions
= a conceptual and methodological device of the comparative lawyer.
Legal systems that share the same traditions. They are similar, but
not the same.
Legal families are used to categorize different collections legal
systems (e.g., civil law and common law)
-> Categorize based on certain recognizable characteristics that
pertain to each family
Delineation of legal families can be based on various factors:
It is possible that certain families and systems don’t exist anymore, or
don’t exist jet
- Historical (eg. Romano-Germanic Legal family)
- Political (eg. Socialist Legal Family)
No classification can claim to be timeless.
Methodology: how to compare
Functionalism
Only law which fulfils the same function can be compared. -> core for legal
comparison
Legal systems are created to face real practical problems in a society.
(Rules on theft are there to prevent people from taking things, but may be
designed differently in various nations. However, the goal is the same in
each nation)
Differences are by-products of societies reaching their own conclusions on
how to solve problems by law.
(can’t compare contract law with murder law)
4
, Focussing on a function of a law, is focussing on the broad approach to a
problem. Leave the specifications from the legal systems you know
behind, and look at the broad problem/system.
- What is meant by tertium comparatonis? Function is common
denominator in comparative law.
o Function. Allows comparative analysis.
o Palace and tent are both places to live.
- What is meant by praesumptio similitudinis?
o Presumption of similarity. Different nations are likely to have
to solve the same problems. If you can’t find a similar legal
solution, you should look further.
What if you don’t find it? Is it problematic?
The reason why a law is adopted, is different to its function.
Function. Grammar or concepts could be different, but the function
of the rule is the most important.
Issues with comparing
- Language
- Not knowing where to look
- Interpretation -> English lawyer may focus to much on tradition
- A presumption of conceptual similarities
- A lack of understanding of the social context behind a legal system
Lecture 2 – Civil Law
History of the civil law tradition
Roman empire and Roman law.
Originally composed of unwritten customary law.
The Romans started early on to separate law from religion:
Fas = Religious law
Lus = secular law
450BC – ‘law of the twelve tables’ -> Codification of the unwritten laws.
- Lus civile – Governed the life of roman citizens
- Lus Gentium (When the roman empire grew)– applied to roman
citizens and non-citizens
The latter applied to the whole area the romans had under their rule.
Roman jurists where forced to act on the changes in the growing Roman
empire.
Roman jurists are intertwined in its law. Sociological, political and
economical changes -> considerable body of law.
Codification was seen as a need.
The Codex Lustinianus
5
