scholarly journals Divorcing Marriage from Marital Assets: Why Equity and Women Fail in Property Readjustment Actions in Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-446
Author(s):  
Michael Attah

AbstractApplicable statutes give Nigerian courts discretion to achieve fairness in marital property readjustment. Ironically, the courts’ approach has often been to adjudicate on the basis of formal title, resulting in a general failure to make any readjustments. This article offers two alternative explanations for this judicial behaviour: absence of a specific statutory marriage-centred definition of matrimonial property; and the courts’ failure to appreciate the implicit matrimonial property regime revealed by a perspicacious interpretation of the statutes. These factors lead the courts to exercise a title-finding jurisdiction instead of an adjustive one. This conservative approach results in the courts exercising an exclusionary prescription of property. These flaws ignore the socio-cultural underpinnings and environment of marriage that support patriarchy in Africa and generally “disable” women in relation to property rights. Sample court cases support this thesis and underscore the need for a statutory definition of matrimonial property, with marriage as its denominator.

Author(s):  
O. Mykhalniuk

The purpose of the article is to study current issues of regulation of family relations under the marriage contract, to define the concept and content of the marriage contract in the light of new trends in notarial and judicial practice of Ukraine. For this research a number of general scientific and specific legal methods have been used, namely analysis of the legal issues, judicial categories, applied comparative-legal, systematic- structural, formal-logical methods and etc.. The author proposes a systematic approach to the study of problems of changing legal regimes of marital property under the marriage contract. It is based on the author's understanding of the concept and the legal nature of "legal property regime" in science of civil and family law of Ukraine, and analysis of the existing judicial practice within mentioned-above sphere. The notion "change the legal regime of marital property" and "change of property types" are not identical in content. The change of the legal regime of the spouses' property does not provide for the transfer of ownership of this property. It is proved that the legal regime of the property of spouses under a marriage contract can be changed only regarding the property, which will be acquired in the future. The effect of legal regime of separate property on the property, which was acquired by spouses in marriage (common property) is in contradiction with part 5, article 93 of the Civil Code of Ukraine. In this case there is actually a transfer of ownership. It is proposed to expand the range of legal relations that can be regulated by a marriage contract, namely: to include not only property but also personal non-property relations of brides and spouses. The author also proposes the definition of marriage contract as a legal instrument between spouses or fiancé and fiancée, which determines their property and personal none-property rights and obligations, in particular, regarding the establishment (change) of legal regime of future property, the regulation of its usage and dispossession, division of revenues and expenses and their property and personal non-property rights as parents in marriage and (or) in case of divorce. Keywords: family law, marriage contract, legal regime of spouses' property, joint common ownership, joint partial ownership, regime of separate property of spouses, regime of common property of spouses.


Author(s):  
Karl Widerquist ◽  
Grant S. McCall

Earlier chapters of this book found that the Hobbesian hypothesis is false; the Lockean proviso is unfulfilled; contemporary states and property rights systems fail to meet the standard that social contract and natural property rights theories require for their justification. This chapter assesses the implications of those findings for the two theories. Section 1 argues that, whether contractarians accept or reject these findings, they need to clarify their argument to remove equivocation. Section 2 invites efforts to refute this book’s empirical findings. Section 3 discusses a response open only to property rights theorists: concede this book’s empirical findings and blame government failure. Section 4 considers the argument that this book misidentifies the state of nature. Section 5 considers a “bracketing strategy,” which admits that observed stateless societies fit the definition of the state of nature, but argues that they are not the relevant forms of statelessness today. Section 6 discusses the implications of accepting both the truth and relevance of the book’s findings, concluding that the best response is to fulfil the Lockean proviso by taking action to improve the lives of disadvantaged people.


1990 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
LuAnn Bean ◽  
Deborah W. Thomas

Determining what should be considered a material item has been a problem for both the accounting profession and the courts. By reviewing the court cases involving the issue of materiality, the authors have determined where differences in the materiality standard as applied by the courts exist. The judicial definition of materiality has developed over time, and current trends with important variations are observed. Based upon the authors' analysis, the following judicial definition of materiality, with its possible variations, is suggested: Would the reasonable (or speculative) investor (or layman) consider important (or be influenced by) this information in determining his course of action?


1983 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-135
Author(s):  
Jocelynne A. Scutt

Author(s):  
Yuliia Tovstohan ◽  
◽  
Serhii Ivanov ◽  

The scientific article examines the modern mechanism of protection of intellectual property rights in Ukraine. Attention is paid to the historically first using of the concept of intellectual property rights in international law and the shortcomings of this definition. The legal definition of this concept contained in the Civil Code of Ukraine is analyzed. It is concluded that the legislative enshrinement of intellectual property rights is evidence of its recognition by the state, and such a right applies to special objects, the list of which is enshrined at both national and international levels. The question of the relationship between the concepts of "protection" and "defense" of civil rights is covered. The main groups of approaches of scientists to the solution of this problem are indicated. An approach that defines "protection" as a general concept for "defense" is supported, where "protection" is a broader concept that covers the term "defense". Emphasis is placed on the fact that although these legal categories are related, they cannot be identified. The main features that distinguish these concepts are listed, and the features of "defense" as an independent concept are highlighted. There are given examples of definition of the concept of protection of intellectual property rights given by scientists. Based on these definitions, the main features of this term are summarized. The issue of forms of protection (jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional) has been studied. The general and special order within the jurisdictional form is distinguished. It is noted about the peculiarities of self-defense as a non-jurisdictional form. The focus is on the judicial (general) procedure for protection of intellectual property rights as the main one. Possible ways of protection (civil, administrative, criminal, and criminal) are analyzed. The problems and shortcomings of the current system of legal protection and protection of intellectual property rights in Ukraine are analyzed. Both reports from international partners and research by Ukrainian scientists were used. The authors outline ways to solve existing problems. The conclusions of the study are formulated and the possibility of further scientific research in this area is indicated.


2003 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam D. Moore

In the most general terms, this article focuses on the tension between competing justifications of intellectual property. Section I examines the nature and definition of economic pragmatism and argues that, while economic pragmatism comes in many flavors, each is either unstable or self-defeating. Section II advances the view that Anglo-American systems of intellectual property have both theoretical and pragmatic features. In Section III a sketch of a theory is offered--a theory that may limit applications of economic pragmatism and provide the foundation for copyright, patent, and trade secret institutions. To be justified--to warrant coercion on a worldwide scale--systems of intellectual property should be grounded in theory. Intellectual property rights are, in essence, no different than our rights to life, liberty, and tangible property. Intellectual property rights are neither pure social constructions nor bargains without foundations.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 815-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
BENITO ARRUÑADA

AbstractInspired by comments made by Allen (2017), Lueck (2017), Ménard (2017) and Smith (2017), this response clarifies and deepens the analysis in Arruñada (2017a). Its main argument is that to deal with the complexity of property we must abstract secondary elements, such as the physical dimensions of some types of assets, and focus on the interaction between transactions. This sequential-exchange framework captures the main problem of property in the current environment of impersonal markets. It also provides criteria to compare private and public ordering, as well as to organize public solutions that enable new forms of private ordering. The analysis applies the lessons in Coase (1960) to property by not only comparing realities but also maintaining his separate definition of property rights and transaction costs. However, it replaces his contractual, single-exchange, framework for one in which contracts interact, causing exchange externalities.


Author(s):  
M. O. Dadashev

The article deals with the rights of the child and parents in the Muslim family law of the early Middle Ages and its formation in the 8th-10th centuries. The key rights of the child were determined and explained: the right to life, the right to naming, the right to nafaka-the right to financial support-the right to the awareness of his or her genealogy, the right to breastfeeding and the right to up-bringing (al-hidana). In addition, the article provides for the following classifications of the rights in question: basic, financial-economic, religious-ethical. Also, the author considers the issue of prohibition of adoption and gives the definition of an orphan (jatim) under Muslim family law, elucidates peculiarities of the status of orphans, the mechanism for protecting property rights of orphans, rights and duties of guardians with respect of orphans and their property, powers of the kadia (judge) regarding the issue of protecting the rights of orphans, types of guardianship. The reasons and procedure for deprivation of guardianship are also examined. In addition, the author considers parental property rights regarding children.


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