“Is it the case that … ?”: Building toward findings of fact in Japanese criminal trials

Semiotica ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (216) ◽  
pp. 423-450
Author(s):  
Ikuko Nakane
Keyword(s):  
Functional Approach ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
The Other ◽  
Professional Communication ◽  
Legal Authority ◽  
Criminal Trials ◽  
Legal Professionals ◽  
Interpersonal Aspect ◽  
Story Construction ◽  
Court Proceedings

AbstractThis article explores the adversarial nature of Japanese criminal court proceedings by analyzing functions of the questions with X to iu koto ga arimasu ka? (‘Is it the case that X took place?’), based on courtroom discourse data and trial manuals for legal professionals. To discuss the roles of lawyers’ questions with the projection with the frame “Is it the case that … ?” in witness examination, the projection’s ideational, textual and interpersonal functions are analyzed drawing on Halliday’s systemic functional approach to discourse. By analyzing sequential roles of the projection, the article highlights the ways in which it serves as a story-construction device, as well as a signpost marker towards exposing inconsistency in witness’s testimony. The analysis also reveals that the dual ideational meanings of the projection – one everyday and the other technical – may leave lay participants unaware of its legal purposes, thus creating a potentially problematic lay-professional communication gap. The discussion of the interpersonal aspect suggests the projection’s role to neutralize coercive force of leading questions as well as to index an identity of legal authority. The paper concludes that while projection “Is it the case … ?” seems to symbolize the adversarial nature of Japanese criminal trials, its neutralizing effect and arbitrariness in use also imply the pseudo-adversarial and hybrid orientation.

Manipulation by deliberate failure of communication

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sol Azuelos-Atias
Keyword(s):  
Social Power ◽  
Relevance Theory ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
The Other ◽  
Vicious Circle ◽  
Context Model ◽  
Legal Professionals ◽  
Context Models

This work studies manipulative use of language that can be called “deliberate failure of communication”; I characterize this kind of manipulation and show that it can be found in the discourse of marketing experts and legal professionals. Relying on relevance theory, I show that manipulation of this kind takes advantage of what van Dijk calls the “context model” of the addressees. I exemplify two ways in which the context models of some of the discourse’s participants might be misused in order to manipulate them. One way is exemplified by a text from an advertisement, the other by a text from a criminal court file. I propose, finally, that the analysis supports van Dijk’s view that social, discursive, and epistemic inequalities reproduce one another in a kind of vicious circle. It suggests, in van Dijk’s terms, that manipulation by deliberate failure of communication is a discriminatory use of language employed by elite groups in order to reproduce their social power.

scholarly journals The Extent of Voluntariness in Plea Bargaining for Economic and Financial Crimes in Nigeria

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Danjuma ◽  
Gan Ching Chuan
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Plea Bargaining ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
The Other ◽  
Criminal Trials ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Financial Crimes ◽  
The Law

The concept of plea bargaining has globally been recognised and applied in criminal trials so as to enable the accused person to have lighter punishment or to be charge with a lesser offence in a criminal court, while the prosecutor on the other hand will secure conviction. Plea bargaining accommodates the consensual agreement between an accused person and the prosecutor in respect of the case against the accused which is subject to court’s approval or acceptance. In Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is empowered by law to compound offences and to dispose financial and other related offences against the accused persons. Hence, EFCC uses its discretion to apply plea bargaining to some of the cases it prosecutes with the aim of securing conviction and to recover the illegally acquired property from the accused. In the case of Dieprieye Alamiesiegha, after an agreement was reached between him and the prosecutor (EFCC), instead of him pleading guilty as required by law in Nigeria, he explained the reasons why he pleaded guilty. This article examines the cases of plea bargaining in Nigeria and analyses whether or not the admission of guilt by the accused is voluntarily made or is motivated and influenced by some extraneous factors. This article finds that based on the cases analysed, the acceptance of plea bargaining in Nigeria by the accused persons as applied by the EFCC were not made freely and voluntarily as required by the law and best practices in other jurisdictions. This is because the accused persons were forced into it by some certain extraneous factors that were initiated and proffered by the EFCC against provision of the law.

ASAS TERBUKA UNTUK UMUM DAN KEHADIRAN FISIK PARA PIHAK DALAM SIDANG DI PENGADILAN NEGERI PASCA PERATURAN MAHKAMAH AGUNG NOMOR 1 TAHUN 2019

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 237-250
Author(s):  
Bernadette M Waluyo
Keyword(s):  
Supreme Court ◽  
Basic Principle ◽  
Civil Law ◽  
The Other ◽  
District Court ◽  
Procedural Law ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Administration Of Justice ◽  
Law Courts ◽  
Court Proceedings

The Indonesian Supreme Court, in response to the information era, modernizes the civil procedural rules at the district court level.  This is done by issuing Supreme Court Regulation no. 1 of 2019 re. Administration of Justice at Civil Law Courts and Electronic-Court Proceedings. Undoubtedly, modernization of existing rules on the administration of justice is much needed.  On the other hand, these changes may violate a number of procedural civil law principles.  The author argues, from a civil procedural law perspective, that the above Supreme Court regulation violates the basic principle of transparency of court proceedings and physical attendance at court proceedings. 

PENYELESAIAN SENGKETA PEMILU AKIBAT PENGGELEMBUNGAN SUARA DI KABUPATEN TAPIN

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gusti Muhammad Ihsan Perdana
Keyword(s):  
Time Trial ◽  
General Election ◽  
The Other ◽  
District Court ◽  
Criminal Trials ◽  
Criminal Offense ◽  
Criminal Charge ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Legislative Election

 Legislative election in distric Tapin was spotted with a vote, conducted by members of the Commission, M. Zainnoor Wal Aidi Rahmad win a legislative candidate from the Golkar Party, namely Bambang Herry Purnama the 2014-2019. Elections Honorary Council for General Election Organizer of the Republic of Indonesia as No. 15 / DKPP-PKE-III / 2014 has imposed sanctions on Zainnoor Wal Aidi M. Rahmad form of dismissal remain as a member of the Tapin district Elections Commission since the verdict was read. Rantau’s District Court in its decision No. 135 / Pid-Sus /2014/PN.Rta, Bringing the sanctions in the form of imprisonment for 10 months with the criminal provisions do not need to be run in the future unless is another command in the verdict that convicted before time trial during the 12 (twelve months) ends have been guilty of a criminal offense and a fine of Rp. 10,000,000.00 (ten million). Dismissal sanctions remain to perpetrators as member of the district KPU Tapin have sense of fairness, but the connection with the criminal charge of criminal trials less reflectjustice for his actions that allow offenders not sentenced to imprisonment and the other party can not do the same.Keywords: Elections Tapin distric, Inflation Voice, Sanctions

scholarly journals Digitizing and Disclosing Personal Data: The Proliferation of State Criminal Records on the Internet

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Lageson ◽  
Elizabeth Webster ◽  
Juan R. Sandoval
Keyword(s):  
Personal Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Criminal Record ◽  
Criminal Records ◽  
Public Records ◽  
Internet Privacy ◽  
Court Proceedings ◽  
Public Disclosures

Digitization and the release of public records on the Internet have expanded the reach and uses of criminal record data in the United States. This study analyzes the types and volume of personally identifiable data released on the Internet via two hundred public governmental websites for law enforcement, criminal courts, corrections, and criminal record repositories in each state. We find that public disclosures often include information valuable to the personal data economy, including the full name, birthdate, home address, and physical characteristics of arrestees, detainees, and defendants. Using administrative data, we also estimate the volume of data disclosed online. Our findings highlight the mass dissemination of pre-conviction data: every year, over ten million arrests, 4.5 million mug shots, and 14.7 million criminal court proceedings are digitally released at no cost. Post-conviction, approximately 6.5 million current and former prisoners and 12.5 million people with a felony conviction have a record on the Internet. While justified through public records laws, such broad disclosures reveal an imbalance between the “transparency” of data releases that facilitate monitoring of state action and those that facilitate monitoring individual people. The results show how the criminal legal system increasingly distributes Internet privacy violations and community surveillance as part of contemporary punishment.

Diagnosing coronary thrombosis using multiphase post-mortem CT angiography (MPMCTA): A case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 77-81
Author(s):  
Camatti Jessika ◽  
Santunione Anna Laura ◽  
Draisci Stefano ◽  
Gangi Bruno Giuliano ◽  
Bisceglia Marco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ct Angiography ◽  
Coronary Thrombosis ◽  
Filling Defect ◽  
Forensic Radiology ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Reference Standard ◽  
Solid Foundation ◽  
Court Proceedings

While post-mortem angiography (PMA) is gradually establishing its role in Forensic Radiology, the available literature in Italy lacks a solid foundation, particularly regarding its use in criminal court proceedings. An illustrative example of multiphase post-mortem CT angiography (MPMCTA) is presented here to encourage the systematic implementation of PMA methods. To demonstrate concordance between MPMCTA and the reference standard (autopsy and histology) in a case of acute coronary thrombosis, we report a case where MPMCTA, autopsy, histological and toxicological analyses were performed on a previously healthy 51-year-old man. MPMCTA detected a right coronary artery filling defect that could be ascribed to coronary thrombosis, which was later confirmed by autopsy and histological examinations.

Dual Nationality and International Criminal Court Jurisdiction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Wolman
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
International Criminal Court ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Functional Approach ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
State Party ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Dual Nationality ◽  
Municipal Law ◽  
Domestic Law

Abstract The International Criminal Court (ICC) can exercise jurisdiction over nationals of states parties. However, it has never been clear whether the Court will automatically recognize a nationality that has been conferred by a state party under its domestic law, nor what criteria it would use to evaluate that nationality should it not be automatically accepted. In December 2019, the Office of the Prosecutor made its first formal pronouncement on the question, finding that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over North Koreans, despite their being South Korean nationals under South Korean law, because North Koreans are not able to exercise their rights as South Koreans until accepted as such by application, and on occasion their applications might be refused. In this article, I reject the Prosecutor’s analysis as misguided. I also reject the other main approaches to nationality recognition suggested by scholars, namely a ‘genuine link’ requirement, a deferral to municipal law, and a deferral to municipal law except where a conferral of nationality violates international law. Instead, I propose a functional approach that would respect municipal conferral of nationality unless that conferral unreasonably interferes with the sovereign interests of a non-state party.

Is Formalism a Friend or Foe?

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 354-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martijn Jurgen Keeman
Keyword(s):  
Functional Approach ◽  
Armed Conflicts ◽  
The Other ◽  
Direct Participation ◽  
Rules And Principles

Contemporary armed conflicts are known to blur the categories of civilians and combatants, leading to problems with the principle of distinction. These categories are the result of an essentially formalised IHL, and have become less accurate by being over- or under-inclusive. Although formalism is vital to IHL’s functioning, maintaining it in its present excessive strength perpetuates distinction problems. In numerous cases a functional inroad based on actual conduct has been introduced, for instance with the concept of direct participation in hostilities. This solution should be implemented across a wider spectrum. Where the two categories are difficult to tell apart, a functional approach for one category benefits the other. This article shows how this can be attained by using existing rules and principles of IHL, such as the concept of military objectives and the prohibition on terrorism, or newer rules.

CONCERNING THE STRUCTURE OF PUBLIC LEGAL INTEREST IN CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS

2021 ◽  
pp. 26-30
Author(s):  
Алексей Викторович Дашин ◽  
Петр Михайлович Малин ◽  
Алексей Васильевич Пивень
Keyword(s):  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
Public Authority ◽  
Criminal Proceedings ◽  
Criminal Process ◽  
The Public ◽  
House Arrest ◽  
Legitimate Interest ◽  
Court Proceedings ◽  
Constituent Elements

В статье анализируется структура публичного законного интереса в уголовном судопроизводстве, входящих в него элементов на примере института домашнего ареста. Авторская модель публичного законного интереса участников уголовного процесса «привязана» к стадийности и может распространяться не только на вопросы, связанные с мерами пресечения. По мнению авторов, публичный законный интерес в контексте рассматриваемой проблемы воплощается в жизнь на основе нормативно установленного действия, содержащего конкретно сформулированные правила, устанавливающие четко определенные права и обязанности участников правоотношений. Данная деятельность сопряжена с определенными этапами (стадиями), которые в той или иной степени характерны соответствующей мере пресечения, и возможна в той стадии, где осуществляется оценка действий, предпринятых должностным лицом, осуществляющим производство по уголовному делу. Реализация публичного законного интереса, заявленного следователем, дознавателем на избрание домашнего ареста, зависит от того, как соответствующие устремления оценят другие должностные лица - руководитель следственного органа, прокурор (не обладающие правами реализации публичного законного интереса), то есть от их усмотрения. Законодатель не предоставляет следователю, дознавателю возможность «непосредственно» обратиться в суд - участнику процесса, наделенному правом реализовать их устремление на избрание меры пресечения. Подобные «преграды» не предусмотрены в законе для иных участников уголовного процесса, не наделенных публичной властью и стремящихся реализовать свой законный интерес. The article analyzes the structure of public legitimate interest in criminal proceedings, its constituent elements on the example of the institution of house arrest. The author's model of the public legitimate interest of participants in the criminal process is «tied» to the stage and can extend not only to issues related to preventive measures. According to the authors, public legitimate interest in the context of the problem under consideration is brought to life on the basis of a normatively established action containing specifically formulated rules establishing clearly defined rights and obligations of participants in legal relations. This activity is associated with certain phases (stages) that are more or less characteristic of the corresponding measure of restraint, and is possible at the stage where the actions taken by the official conducting the criminal proceedings are evaluated. The realization of the public legitimate interest declared by the investigator, the investigating officer for the election of house arrest depends on how the relevant intentions will be evaluated by other officials - the head of the investigative body, the prosecutor (who do not have the rights to realize the public legitimate interest), i.e. on their discretion. The legislator does not give the investigator, the inquirer the opportunity to turn «directly» to the court - a participant in the process, entitled to realize their intentions for the election of measures of restrain. Such «barriers» are not provided in the law for other participants in the criminal process who are not endowed with public authority and who seek to realize their legitimate interest.

scholarly journals Trial and (Potential) Error: Conflicting Visions on Reparations Within the ICC System

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina Balta ◽  
Manon Bax ◽  
Rianne Letschert
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
International Criminal Court ◽  
Rome Statute ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
International Criminal Justice ◽  
Court Decisions ◽  
Criminal Trials ◽  
Conflict Situations ◽  
International Criminal Trials

Twenty years ago, the International Criminal Court (hereinafter ICC or the Court) was established holding the aim of placing victims at the heart of international criminal justice proceedings and delivering justice to them through, among others, reparations. Article 75 of the Rome Statute lays out the reparations regime, and, in practice, court-ordered reparations are a means of delivering such justice. Focusing on Court decisions on reparations, our analysis takes stock of all developments before the ICC and attempts to highlight the mismatch between characteristics inherent to the objectives of international criminal trials such as providing accountability and punishment of the accused and delivering justice for victims of mass crimes—the so-called procedural challenges. We also submit that the Court is facing conceptual challenges, related to an apparent misunderstanding of the various concepts at stake: reparations as such and the various modalities and channels of enforcing them. We conclude that although the ICC’s reparation regime may not be the best reparative response to provide justice to victims in conflict situations affected by mass victimization, we suggest that improving the ICC’s approach includes, at a minimum, tackling these challenges.

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