From Lobbying to Corruption: The Strategies of Interest Groups to Influence the Law-Making Process

Author(s):  
Patrícia Carraro Rossetto
Keyword(s):  
The Law ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1, 2 & 3) ◽  
pp. 2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter W. Hogg

A new book on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by two professors from the University of Calgary, F.L. Morton and Rainer Knopff, is entitled The Charter Revolution and the Court Party.1 By the “Charter revolution” the authors refer to the active law- making role assumed by the Supreme Court of Canada since the adoption of the Charter of Rights in 1982.2 By the “Court Party” they refer to a cluster of interest groups promoting Charter rights through litigation.3 The thesis of the book is that these groups have been successful in obtaining changes in the law from the Supreme Court of Canada that could not have been achieved in the representative legislative assemblies. That, they argue, is wrong because it is “undemocratic.”4 I agree that there has been a Charter revolution. I also agree that there is a Court Party, but I will argue that the cluster of interest groups using litigation as their strategy is much broader than the authors acknowledge. I also agree that the effects of these two phenomena have not been wholly beneficial, but I argue that, on the whole, the result is one that enhances rather than usurps a democratic dialogue.


Author(s):  
Alexander Kukharev ◽  
Alexander Rusu

This article discusses adaptation of the norms and ideals of Roman law to modern legal culture, the basis of Roman legal relations, which is the basis of modern law-making. It is important to learn how the culture of the law of ancient Rome influenced the formation of modern law of the digital age. The purpose of writing the paper was to highlight the influence of the legal culture of ancient Rome on modern reality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-35
Author(s):  
V. V. Ershov ◽  

Introduction. As a result of the application in scientific research of descriptive and objectiveteleological methods of studying legal phenomena, a number of foreign and Russian scientists often describe only truly objectively existing legal phenomena, including “judicial law-making”. Theoretical Basis. Methods. From the position of scientifically grounded concept of integrative legal understanding, according to which the system of law first of all synthesizes only the principles and norms of law contained in a single, multi-level and developing system of forms of national and international law, implemented in the state, the article concludes that it is possible to highlight two types of “judicial law-making” in the special literature: “moderate” and “radical” types of “judicial law-making”. Results. “Moderate judicial law-making” is allowed only outside the law, its results are not binding on other courts, as the “norm” created by the court is only applicable ex post, only to a particular dispute and is not binding on other courts. In the opinion of the author of the article, this result of “moderate judicial law-making” is theoretically more reasonable to be considered as a kind of wrong – as “court positions” obligatory only for participants of individual judicial process, developed in the process of consideration and resolution of individual dispute as a result of interpretation of principles and norms of law. Discussion and Conclusion. Researchers – supporters of the “radical” type of “judicial lawmaking” allow the development of “judicial precedents of law” “through the law, beyond and against the law” (contra legem).It seems to the author that this type of “judicial lawmaking” is based on the scientific discussion concept of integrative legal understanding, according to which the heterogeneous social phenomena – right and wrong – are synthesized in the unified system of law (for example, law and individual judicial acts, including those containing specific positions of the court).New concepts and their definitions have been introduced into scientific circulation. The author concludes that the “radical” kind of “judicial law-making” is theoretically debatable, and practically counterproductive.


Author(s):  
András Sajó ◽  
Renáta Uitz

This chapter examines the relationship between parliamentarism and the legislative branch. It explores the evolution of the legislative branch, leading to disillusionment with the rationalized law-making factory, a venture run by political parties beyond the reach of constitutional rules. The rise of democratically bred party rule is positioned between the forces favouring free debate versus effective decision-making in the legislature. The chapter analyses the institutional make-up and internal operations of the legislature, the role of the opposition in the legislative assembly, and explores the benefits of bicameralism for boosting the powers of the legislative branch. Finally, it looks at the law-making process and its outsourcing via delegating legislative powers to the executive.


Author(s):  
Rosemary Grey ◽  
Kcasey McLoughlin ◽  
Louise Chappell

Abstract To date, analyses of gender justice at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have focused primarily on critiques of, and shifts within, the Office of the Prosecutor. This article takes a different approach by focusing on the ICC’s judiciary. We being by arguing that state parties can and should do more than electing a balance of male and female judges – they can also ensure gender-sensitivity on the Bench by supporting candidates with expertise in gender analysis, and by backing judges who bring a feminist approach to their work once elected. Next, we explain the concept of the ‘feminist judgment-writing’ and suggest that this method offers a useful framework for embedding gender-sensitive judging at the ICC. To illustrate this argument, we highlight opportunities for ICC judges to engage in gender-sensitive judging in relation to interpreting the law, making findings of fact, and deciding procedural questions. The final section of the article discusses how best to institutionalize the practice of gender-sensitive judging at the ICC.


1916 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. G. Dubach
Keyword(s):  
The Law ◽  

The aim of the present paper is to describe the regulative powers granted to state boards of health, and to consider the wisdom of these grants as well as their validity as tested by the principle that the law-making powers granted to legislatures may not constitutionally be delegated by them to other agents of government.State boards of health, while primarily administrative bodies, have generally a more or less extensive power to make regulations in supplement to and having the force of statute law. Questions thus arise as to the extent and validity of the ordinance-making powers granted. Does the power to make these regulations, having the force of law, change the nature of these boards? Under what conditions may they exercise their power?


Letonica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergejs Kruks

Keywords: discourse analysis, general will, Latvian politics, political representation, Saeima Latvian citizens are characterised by a very low level of political activism. How can this be explained through an understanding of politics? Prior to the 2018 Saeima (Latvian parliament) election, voters were interviewed on Latvian television discussing the pronouncements of various members of parliament. The researcher explores the relationship between the comments of these voters and the way they feel their interests are being represented by the state’s law makers. Throughout the interviews, voters are critical of Saeima, yet they fail to clearly explain their interests. The generally agreed upon duty of MPs is to discover the general will of the people, and attempt to fulfil this will through law making. In Latvia, the concept of forming interest groups representing the desires of various groups of citizens to create public expressions of their opinions is not considered a viable resource for political action. The citizens being interviewed believe that they cannot expect to have their interests represented by Saeima and prefer individual strategies focused on non-political action.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Wilinska-Zelek

Abstract text Infertility treatment law making in Europe: the clash of knowledge, ethics and business Today, there is no common European set of rules for Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART). ART is now controlled by legislation in almost all European countries, substantial variations exist within the detail of that legislation. Main legal differences between countries relate to: embryo selection, particularly by genetic screening, embryo freezing and embryo transfer, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), oocyte donation, anonymity of gamete donors, surrogacy, patient eligibility criteria (eg, sexual orientation, age), reimbursement and state funding. The most complete survey ever of the ART legal and funding framework of 43 European countries was published in the ESHRE medical journal Human Reproduction Open: Calhaz-Jorge C, De Geyter C, Kupka MS, et al. Survey on ART and IUI: Legislation, regulation, funding and registries in European countries. Hum Reprod Open 2020; doi:10.1093/hropen/hoz044. Unfortunately, changes of legislation are so dynamic that much of the information in this article is no longer up-to-date. Lawyers observe that one of the most important rule of law “When the Law ceases to reflect the realities of Life, it is the Law that will Change” does not work in ART. In regard to this matter dominant rule is: “The Law will change only when it ceases to reflect the government’s point of view and lobbyists’ needs”. Modern medical knowledge and the society’s needs are often not the main concern during the law making discussion. The speech discusses the issues related to infertility treatment law making in Europe with a focus of the problem that modern medical knowledge in this process is not taken into account at all. The author diagnoses numerous problem related to determining the border between medical knowledge, ethics and business in law making process. The observed problems will be discussed on selected examples (from Poland, Greece and the United Kingdom) during presentation at the ESHRE on-line 37th Annual Meeting.


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