Fields of law, Legal Subjects and Legal syllogism:
1) Fields of law:
= law is a heterogeneous subject + can be devided in fields of law: private law, civil
procecural law, administrative law...
- Undertaking : A written promise offered as security for the performance of a
particular act required in a legal action. In a criminal case, an undertaking of bail is
security for the appearance of the defendant.
You have to know in which jurisdiction and field of law you are.
Substantive law: Consists of rules that give people rights and determine what people
should do; it reflects the elements or conditions for the law to apply. The conditions
for us to be able to do something.
1) If you hurt someone, then you will have to compensate for damages
2) The right to vote is a right that Americans civils have from their constitution
3) Criminal law
Procedural law: You need prodecural law to make sure that your substantive law is
protected. Provides the means through which compliance with these duties and
respect for (other people’s) rights can be enforced. This field of law also provides the
rules for court procedures and for the organization of the judiciary and specifies how
judicial orders can be enforced.
1) You vote by letter, but somebody claims that your vote has been given
fraudulously. You will have to go to court. There is a whole set of rules that
indicate which procideral you will have to follow.
2) Criminal procecution law
Private law: Company’s law, property law (regulates transactions and legal situations
such as sales, ownership...), tort law (compensation for damages that occur when
there is no contract), family law (marriage, adoption...)... Horizontal relation. Equal
footing, an aggreement.
Public law: Criminal law (tracing, prosecution and punishment), constitutional law
(trias politica = division of powers between the legislative, the executive and the
judiciary branch of a government) , administrative law (interactions between
government agents and civilians or private organizations) and public international
, law (regulates the relation between States and regulates international
organizations). Vertical relation between a civil and government. The state can do
things without your consent.
Functional fields of law: They are characterized by the function they fulfil rather
than by belonging to one of the main areas of law. (Ex. European law, medical law...)
Functional division of law allows you to focus on the problem you want to solve !
(Ex. Start a business: combines several areas of law)
2) Only legal subjects have rights and obligations:
All human beings, companies, states are legal subjects
Napoleon: Some people weren’t recognized as subjects by the law (civil dead = you
can easily kill them because they aren’t protected by the law.)
Legal subjects: You can be held liable, own property, are protected by law, buy
things, perform juridical act...
If a person goes missing : Time passes by and you have to decide if he’s dead or not.
If he’s not declared dead he still has right and obligations. If you don’t want him to
still pay taxes you have to be sure that he’s declared dead. He than no longer exists
by the law.
Animals, objects are in most jurisdictions not recognised as legal subjects.
Monkey selfie: Naruto (monkey) has taken his own selfie. David Slater ( a
photographer) published a book with this selfie on the front. PETA filed a suit against
Slater and he had to pay the monkey for stealing copyrights for every book that he
sold. The court dismissed PETA’s case.
Only a legal subject can have a legal status. (Ex. Student at the VUB has a legal
status) How do you become a legal status ? By following the procedures.
Owner of a dog: Has certain obligations, because he is a legal subject and has
obligations. It’s a matter of policy if we want to consider animals as legal subjects.
VUB : Is a legal person (a body of persons or an entity with rights and obligations)
1) Fields of law:
= law is a heterogeneous subject + can be devided in fields of law: private law, civil
procecural law, administrative law...
- Undertaking : A written promise offered as security for the performance of a
particular act required in a legal action. In a criminal case, an undertaking of bail is
security for the appearance of the defendant.
You have to know in which jurisdiction and field of law you are.
Substantive law: Consists of rules that give people rights and determine what people
should do; it reflects the elements or conditions for the law to apply. The conditions
for us to be able to do something.
1) If you hurt someone, then you will have to compensate for damages
2) The right to vote is a right that Americans civils have from their constitution
3) Criminal law
Procedural law: You need prodecural law to make sure that your substantive law is
protected. Provides the means through which compliance with these duties and
respect for (other people’s) rights can be enforced. This field of law also provides the
rules for court procedures and for the organization of the judiciary and specifies how
judicial orders can be enforced.
1) You vote by letter, but somebody claims that your vote has been given
fraudulously. You will have to go to court. There is a whole set of rules that
indicate which procideral you will have to follow.
2) Criminal procecution law
Private law: Company’s law, property law (regulates transactions and legal situations
such as sales, ownership...), tort law (compensation for damages that occur when
there is no contract), family law (marriage, adoption...)... Horizontal relation. Equal
footing, an aggreement.
Public law: Criminal law (tracing, prosecution and punishment), constitutional law
(trias politica = division of powers between the legislative, the executive and the
judiciary branch of a government) , administrative law (interactions between
government agents and civilians or private organizations) and public international
, law (regulates the relation between States and regulates international
organizations). Vertical relation between a civil and government. The state can do
things without your consent.
Functional fields of law: They are characterized by the function they fulfil rather
than by belonging to one of the main areas of law. (Ex. European law, medical law...)
Functional division of law allows you to focus on the problem you want to solve !
(Ex. Start a business: combines several areas of law)
2) Only legal subjects have rights and obligations:
All human beings, companies, states are legal subjects
Napoleon: Some people weren’t recognized as subjects by the law (civil dead = you
can easily kill them because they aren’t protected by the law.)
Legal subjects: You can be held liable, own property, are protected by law, buy
things, perform juridical act...
If a person goes missing : Time passes by and you have to decide if he’s dead or not.
If he’s not declared dead he still has right and obligations. If you don’t want him to
still pay taxes you have to be sure that he’s declared dead. He than no longer exists
by the law.
Animals, objects are in most jurisdictions not recognised as legal subjects.
Monkey selfie: Naruto (monkey) has taken his own selfie. David Slater ( a
photographer) published a book with this selfie on the front. PETA filed a suit against
Slater and he had to pay the monkey for stealing copyrights for every book that he
sold. The court dismissed PETA’s case.
Only a legal subject can have a legal status. (Ex. Student at the VUB has a legal
status) How do you become a legal status ? By following the procedures.
Owner of a dog: Has certain obligations, because he is a legal subject and has
obligations. It’s a matter of policy if we want to consider animals as legal subjects.
VUB : Is a legal person (a body of persons or an entity with rights and obligations)
