scholarly journals Legal control of discretionary powers in Ghana: Lessons from English administrative law theory

Afrika Focus ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwadwo B. Mensah

This paper develops along the following line. First, we shall attempt to explain what discretion is, why it has become very important in the modem administrative state, and the dangers that it poses in a democratic legal system. It then looks at the problems which have to be faced in justifying judicial review of discretion. It takes an in depth analysis of legal liberalism and functionalism. Aimed with these 'lenses', it attempts to explain the theoretical basis of two important Ghanaian cases, Re Akoto , and People's Popular Party v Attorney General (PPP v AG)'. It examines the provisions which regulate the use of discretionary powers in the Ghanaian 1993 Constitution and it looks at the choices we have to make from the various theories and the development of the administrative state in Ghana.KEY WORDS: functionalism, Ghana, judicial review, law, liberalism 

Afrika Focus ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-140
Author(s):  
Kwadwo B. Mensah

This paper develops along the following line. First, we shall attempt to explain what discretion is, why it has become very important in the modern administrative state, and the dangers that it poses in a democratic legal system. It then looks at the problems which have to be faced in justifying judicial review of discretion. It takes an in depth analysis of legal liberalism and functionalism. Armed with these ‘lenses’ it attempts to explain the theoretical basis of two important Ghanaian cases, Re Akoto and People’s Popular Party v Attorney General (PPP v AG). It examines the provisions which regulate the use of discretionary powers in the Ghanaian 1993 Constitution and it looks at the choices we have to make from the various theories and the development of the administrative state in Ghana.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eberhard Schmidt-Aßmann

US administrative law forms a body of law that is considered to be particularly ‘political’. From an early stage on, US administrative law has endeavoured to provide instruments and procedures that foster and implement democratic ideals and concepts; consequently, US ‘freedom of information’ and the standards of public participation in the rulemaking process have often served as a model for foreign administrative law systems. Nevertheless, the agency actions have constantly been questioned and disputed. This book offers a systematic analysis of the constitutional foundations as well as the procedures, of liability and judicial review in administrative matters, and it examines the legitimacy of the American ‘administrative state’.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Shane

This Foreword introduces a Fordham Law Review symposium held in March 2014 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council. One of the most-cited administrative-law decisions of all time, Chevron has sparked thirty years of scholarly discussion concerning what Chevron deference means, when (or even if) it should apply, and what impact it has had on the administrative state. Part I of the Foreword discusses the symposium contributions that address Chevron’s scope and application, especially in light of City of Arlington v. FCC. Part II introduces the contributions that explore empirically and theoretically Chevron’s impact outside of the judicial-review context -- i.e., its effect on legislative- and administrative-drafting theory and practice, its influence within the regulatory state more generally, and its adoption (or lack thereof) in state administrative law. Part III turns to the intersection of Chevron and federalism. Part IV concludes by grappling with the contributors’ diverse views on whether Chevron is indeed a big deal and, if so, whether it is a good or bad deal for the modern administrative state.


2021 ◽  
pp. 326-338
Author(s):  
Danilo Pappano

This chapter explains how, in the current phase of development in the Chinese legal system, administrative law has emerged. China is undergoing a process of subjecting power to the rules which, for administrative law, concern the relationship between state and citizen, and more generally that between state and society. The current evolution is particularly rapid and favoured by changes to the economic structure in recent years, and this explains the fact that administrative law in China is on the eve of great expansion. The chapter examines some theoretical issues relating to judicial review of the exercise of administrative activity, an area which has seen the manifestation of the process of legalization of administrative power, as has happened in Western legal systems. Over the last few years, the development and interpretation of the instruments available has progressed while the availability of instruments has tended to broaden, even if currently legal protection is still in its early stages. However, all this will naturally require a long period of settling, as in Western countries; hence the evident need for gradual change as the fruit of a realistic approach.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
István Hoffman

<p class="Default">The Hungarian legal system and especially the administrative law is in the state of permanent change. This constantly transforming environment is a challenge for the rule of law. Every significant field of administrative law is impacted by these changes – even the judicial review model of the administrative decisions. The author analyzes the impact of these changes – especially from the last three years – on the application of administrative law. The issues raised in the article are focused on the transformation of the procedural rules, in particular on the impact of the new Act I of 2017 – Code of Administrative Court Procedure and its amendment in 2019. Two major institutions are analyzed further. First, the work analyzes the impact of the reform on the system of legal remedies in the administrative law, i.e. the reduction of the intra-administration remedies, the administrative appeal. Secondly, the extent of the judicial review was examined, in particular debates, codifications and amendments of the cassation and reformatory jurisdiction of the courts. The courts are currently the major interpreter of administrative law, whose change can be interpreted as a paradigm shift of the approach of the application of administrative law.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 277 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
D. A. Candeub

<p>Tirania e o direito administrativo</p><p> </p><p><em>The Federalist Papers </em>define “tyranny” as “[t]he accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many.” This definition would seem to include the modern administrative agency, which exercises all three powers. To avoid tyrannical agencies and their illegitimate exercise of power, judges and academics look to administrative law. Its procedures and requirements, such as public comment, judicial review, agency reason-giving and deliberation, and executive oversight, saddle agencies with checks and balances and, therefore, legitimacy. Yet unease with the administrative state continues; indeed, it seems to be in a constant crisis of legitimacy, suggesting that administrative law’s quest for legitimacy has not succeeded. This Article argues that this crisis of legitimacy stems from the inherent conflict between the assumptions underlying those of administrative law and the Constitution. These sets of assumptions differ profoundly over political actors’ motivations and human nature, rationality in political and administrative decision-making, and the role of executive lawmaking in a democracy. This Article compares <em>The Federalist Papers </em>and administrative law and scholarship to uncover those differences. But this Article does not engage in an “originalist” critique of administrative law. Instead, it shows that administrative law’s crisis of legitimacy inevitably proceeds from its jarring discontinuity with deep assumptions underlying our constitutional structure.</p><p> </p><p>A obra <em>O federalista </em>define “tirania” como “a acumulação de todos os poderes, legislativo, executivo e judiciário, nas mesmas mãos, seja na de um, alguns ou vários”. Essa definição pareceria incluir a agência administrativa moderna, que exerce todos os três poderes. Para evitar agências tiranas e seu exercício ilegítimo do poder, juízes e acadêmicos procuram o direito administrativo. Seus procedimentos e requerimentos, como comentários públicos, revisão judicial, agência de razão e deliberação e supervisão executiva, selam agências com verificações e balanços e, portanto, legitimação. Ainda assim, o desconforto com o Estado administrativo continua; inclusive, parece ser uma constante crise de legitimidade, sugerindo que a busca do direito administrativo por legitimidade não prosperou. Este artigo argumenta que essa crise de legitimidade se origina do conflito inerente entre hipóteses subjacentes às do direito administrativo e a Constituição. Esse conjunto de hipóteses difere profundamente das motivações de atores políticos e da natureza humana, da racionalidade na tomada de decisões políticas e administrativas, e em toda a legislação executiva na democracia. Este artigo compara a obra <em>O federalista</em>, as leis administrativas e a escolaridade para revelar aquelas diferenças. Mas este artigo não se engaja em uma crítica “original” do direito administrativo. Pelo contrário, mostra que a crise de legitimidade do direito administrativo inevitavelmente provém de chocante descontinuidade com premissas subjacentes à estrutura constitucional.</p>


2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
KWADWO BOATENG MENSAH

Section 54 of Ghana's Criminal Procedure Code, 1960 (Act 30), gives the Attorney-General discretion to enter a nolle prosequi in the course of a criminal trial. According to the orthodox view, this discretionary power is not subject to judicial review. The orthodox view raises a number of very important questions. First, is it really the case that the power to enter a nolle prosequi is not subject to judicial review? Secondly, if this is the case, how is the Attorney-General accountable for the manner in which he exercises his discretion and how is it possible to ensure that he acts fairly when he enters a nolle prosequi? This article challenges the orthodox theory and advocates a theory based on legal accountability. The proposed theory is founded on the view that accountability and fairness—which are central constituents of good governance—will be enhanced if the discretion to enter a nolle prosequi is subject to legal control. The paper goes on to show that the legal accountability theory is supported by article 296 of the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution and that it also conforms to practices found in other Commonwealth jurisdictions such as England, Canada, Fiji and Australia.


Legal Studies ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Hough

‘Today, therefore, the controlling factor in determining whether the exercise of a prerogative power is subject to judicial review is not its source but its subject matter.’ So uttered Lord Scarman, expressing the view of the majority of the House of Lords in Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service (the GCHQ case). The Attorney General, in deciding whether to institute proceedings for the enforcement ofa public right, exercises a power vested in him by virtue of the royal prerogative. This power, it was previously held, was ‘absolute and non-reviewable’. The question now arises as to whether the Attorney General’s discretionary powers are embraced within that category of prerogative powers whose subject matter renders them amenable to judicial review, or whether they remain beyond judicial scrutiny.


Author(s):  
Zhanna Bernatska

The article is focused on clarifying the place of law norms, which are the basis for the formationand implementation of the economic function of the Ukrainian state within the legal system ofUkraine. The research is based on an in-depth analysis of national and foreign legal literature,primarily German one, focused on the system of law, the grounds for the division of law into publicand private, the system of administrative law as the branch of law, administrative and commerciallaw as the branch of Special Administrative Law.The purpose of the article is to substantiate the idea that administrative and commercial law isthe basis for the formation and implementation of the economic function of the Ukrainian state.The author has separately studied internal structure of this branch of Special Administrative Lawin order to single out new legal entities within its boundaries.System of methods. Generally scientific, special and legal techniques and methods of cognitionhave been used during the research. The historical method of cognition has been used whilestudying the history of the formation of views on the division of law into public and private.The formal and logical method has been used while classifying the criteria for dividing the lawinto public and private. The system and functional method has been used while studying the natureof the legal system and the structure of administrative law as the branch of law. The comparativemethod has been used to clarify approaches to understanding the system of administrative law inUkraine and Germany.Results. The use of the specified methods of scientific cognition made it possible: to state theexistence of the universally recognized theory of the division of law into public and private; tosubstantiate the need for strict adherence to this theory of the division of law while separatinglegal entities within those subsystems of law (branches of law, sub-branches of law and legalinstitutions); to emphasize the need to bring the system of administrative law in line with Europeancounterparts, which provide its inevitable division into General and Special Administrative Law; to single out new branches of law within the framework of Special Administrative Law, takinginto account the functional activities of public administration, as well as administrative and legalguaranteeing of the rights of individuals in the field of public administration.Conclusions. The conducted research allowed us to conclude that the formation and implementationof the economic function of the Ukrainian state is guaranteed by administrative and commerciallaw.The separation of this branch of Special Administrative Law is a logical consequence of: a) theapplication of the theory of law division into public and private to legal relations arising fromthe formation and implementation of the economic function of the Ukrainian state; b) thoroughreform of the system of administrative law of Ukraine, which provides the separation of newbranches of law within the Special Administrative Law; c) approximation of Ukraine to theEuropean administrative space, which stipulates bringing the national legal system in line withthe EU legal system.Administrative and commercial law, like any branch of law, consists of small legal entities thathave been formed within its boundaries. We offer to expand the list of institutions of administrativeand commercial law based on new institutions: a) the institution of forecasting and planning ofeconomic development of Ukraine; b) the institution of protecting the rights of business entitiesand consumers; c) the institution of state assistance to chambers of commerce and industry; d) theinstitution of management of economic activity within public sector of the economy.


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