COMPARATIVE LAW

SPRING 2003

Professor Susanna Fischer

Office: Room 412

Phone: 202-319-5568

E-mail: fischer@law.edu

READING LIST

WEEK ONE

UNIT I: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF COMPARATIVE LEGAL TRADITIONS

1/7/03: Introductory Class – No Assignment

Required Reading: None

Additional Reading:

1/9/02: A Chthonic Legal Tradition

Required Reading: Glenn Ch. 2 (pp. 56-83)

Required Exercise: Search the World Wide Web and locate a webpage devoted to some aspect of chthonic law. Please print out the page and/or its URL and bring to class.

Additional Reading on Chthonic Law:

WEEK TWO

UNIT 2:  THE CIVIL LAW TRADITION - A FOCUS ON FRENCH LAW

1/14/03:  ASSIGNMENT:  ROMAN LAW AND JUSTINIAN'S CODIFICATION

Required Reading:

  1. John Henry Merryman, The Civil Law Tradition (2d ed. 1985) pp. 6-13.  COPIES WILL BE  AVAILABLE IN THE CLASS MAILBOX ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OPPOSITE THE ELEVATORS.
  2. Peter Stein, Roman Law in European History (1999) pp. 32-37.  COPIES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE CLASS MAILBOX.
  3. TAKE A LOOK AT (DO NOT READ CAREFULLY) THE EXCERPTS FROM INSTITUTES OF JUSTINIAN'S CORPUS JURIS CIVILIS AT: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/535institutes.html The entire Institutes are available, in English, at: http://faculty.cua.edu/pennington/Law508/InstitutesofJustinian.htm For any classicists among you, they are available in Latin at: http://www.gmu.edu/departments/fld/CLASSICS/justinian.html

Recommended Reading:

1/16/03: ASSIGNMENT: THE CIVIL LAW TRADITION I

Required Reading:

Required Exercise:

WEEK THREE

 

1/21/03 CLASS TODAY WILL BE HELD IN THE COMPUTER LAB IN THE LIBRARY.  WE WILL LEARN HOW TO BUILD WEB PAGES. 

1/23/03: ASSIGNMENT: THE CIVIL LAW TRADITION II

Required Reading:

Recommended Reading

WEEK FOUR

1/28/03: No class - 12:10 p.m., Patronal Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas. University Mass in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The Very Rev. Joseph Barranger, O.P., prior of the Dominican House of Studies, will be the principal celebrant and homilist.

1/30/03: ASSIGNMENT:  THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE FRENCH LEGAL SYSTEM AND THE NAPOLEONIC CODE

Required Reading:

Recommended Reading:

WEEK FIVE

2/3/03: ASSIGNMENT: FRENCH GOVERNMENT

Required Reading:

Recommended Reading:

2/5/03: ASSIGNMENT:  FRENCH CONSTITUTION/SOURCES OF LAW I

Required Reading:

Recommended Reading:

WEEK SIX

2/11/03:  CLASS CANCELLATION - MAKEUP WILL BE SCHEDULED

2/13/03: ASSIGNMENT:  FRENCH SOURCES OF LAW II

Required Reading:

Required Exercise: Compare French Constitution of 1958 (at E & V pp. 226-248) with the U.S. Constitution. What differences and similarities do you see?

WEEK SEVEN

2/18/03:  No Class – Snow Day!

2/20/03: ASSIGNMENT:  THE FRENCH LEGAL PROFESSION

Required Reading:

·         E & V pp. 192-202

Recommended Reading:

FRENCH LEGAL PROFESSION GENERALLY:

II. AVOCATS:

III. AVOCATS AU CONSEIL D'ETAT ET À LA COUR DE CASSATION (A.K.A. AVOCATS AUX CONSEILS)

IV. AVOUÉS:

V. JURISTES D'ENTERPRISE:

VI. NOTAIRES:

Les notaires

 

Ordonnance n°45-2590 du 02 novembre 1945 relative au statut du notariat

VII. HUISSIERS DE JUSTICE (Bailiffs):

Les huissiers de justice

 

Ordonnance n°45-2592 du 02 novembre 1945 relative au statut des huissiers

VIII.  JUDGES/MINISTÈRE PUBLIC

·        Information on costume of magistrates du parquet is available (in French) at: http://www.ca-paris.justice.fr/cour/fr/visite/fr/page/fs_bas_parquet.html

·        Information on costume of juge is available (in French) at: http://www.ca-paris.justice.fr/cour/fr/visite/fr/page/fs_bas_siege.html

·        Conseil supérieure de la magistrature (CSM) (in English) at: http://www.conseil-superieur-magistrature.fr/presentation/english/index.htm (in French) at: http://www.conseil-superieur-magistrature.fr/

·        Ordonnance of 22 Decembre 1958 at: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/texteconsolide/PFFAA.htm

·        Proposed text for revised Art. 65 of the Constitution At: http://www.senat.fr/leg/taAN98-186.html  (Presidential decree of 1999 on revisions to Art. 65 of the Constitution Décret du 3 novembre 1999 tendant à soumettre deux projets de loi constitutionnelle au Parlement réuni en Congrès, le 24 janvier 2000 - (Journal Officiel " Lois et décrets " du 4 novembre 1999)) at: http://www.assemblee-nat.fr/dossiers/justice/decrets.asp#Projet

IX.  OTHER PROFESSIONS THAT CAN PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE/REPRESENT CLIENTS:

A.  COMMISSAIRES AUX COMPTES (AUDITORS)

·        See : http://lexinter.net/Legislation/commissaires_aux_comptes1.htm

·        National regulatory body is: CNCC (Compagnie nationale des commissaries aux comptes) at: http://www.cncc.fr/

B.  ADMINISTRATEUR JUDICIAIRE (ADMINISTRATORS IN BANKRUPTCY)

·        http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/ARBO/14010708-FXJUS307.html

C.  MANDATAIRE LIQUIDATAIRE (LIQUIDATORS)

·        http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/ARBO/14010708-FXJUS307.html

D.  COMMISSAIRES-PRISEURS (PUBLIC AUCTIONEERS)

·        http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/ARBO/14010710-FXJUS309.html

·        Chambre nationale des commissaries  is the national regulatory body

E.  CONSEILS EN PROPRIÉTÉ INDUSTRIELLE

·        See Compagnie Nationale des Conseils en Propriété Industrielle (CNCPI) at: http://www.cncpi.fr/index.htm

WEEK EIGHT

 2/25/03:  ASSIGNMENT:  FRENCH LEGAL TRAINING

Required Reading: E & V pp. 203-219

Recommended Reading:

·        Andrea Nollant, Legal Education in France and England: A Comparative Study (Jan. 11, 2002) at: http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/lili/2002/nollent.html

A.  LYCÉE/SECONDARY EDUCATION/BACCALAURÉAT:

B.  UNIVERSITY  LEGAL STUDIES IN FRANCE:

i.  FIRST CYCLE (first 2 years of curriculum) - leads to "general studies" diploma (DEUG)

ii.  LICENCE EN DROIT (basic law degree obtained after one additional year of study following the DEUG)

iii. MAÎTRISE (masters degree in law obtained after one additional year of study following the LICENCE)

C.  PROFESSIONAL STAGE:

a.  Centre régional de formation professionnelle d'avocat  (un C.R.F.P.) (Regional Center for Professional Studies):  (1 year course including classroom work on clinical/practical problems as well as required internships in avocats offices.  To get onto course, student must pass an oral/written entrance examination testing knowledge of law and cultural knowledge.  The success rate on the entrance exam is only 25%! At end of course, there is an examination including oral argument, preparation of a legal document, and a legal ethics component.)

b. CERTIFICAT D'APTITUDE À LA PROFESSION D'AVOCAT (le CAPA) (Certificate of Aptitude to the Profession of Avocat): some are exempted from taking this exam (judges, law professors, notaries, former conseil juridique,  European Union attorneys who have qualified in a European Union MS.  Includes written and oral component. 

c.  OATH OF OFFICE: New avocats swear to act with dignity and independence, as well as conscientiously and humanely when exercising their functions.  

d.  PROBATIONARY PERIOD: This lasts two years.  

e.  CERTIFICAT

f.  INTERNSHIP - newly qualified lawyers have to do an internship for 2 years before they can set up their own independent office.

g.  MEMBERSHIP IN A BARREAU (FRENCH BAR ASSOCIATION) - This is required for all attorneys.  Barreaux are local organizations.

 1. CONSEIL NATIONAL DES BARREAUX - (CNB) ("National Counsel of Bar Associations"):  represents entire French legal profession

2. LOCAL BARREAUX: CONSEIL D L'ORDRE (chaired by a BÂTONNIER)

D.  RIGHTS OF AUDIENCE: Although French avocats have rights of audience in Tribunaux d'instance nationwide, French avocats only have rights to exercise the former functions of avouè in the Tribunal de grande instance located in the district where a particular avocat is admitted to the "barreau".  Avocats can plead (in French sense of "plaidre" or argue) cases in courts nationwide.  They also have full rights to exercise even the former functions of avoués in Tribunal d'instance nationwide.

E.  TYPES OF FRENCH LAW FIRMS FOR AVOCATS:

a.  SOLE PRACTITIONER

b.  SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE  DE MOYEN (has no legal personality - no fee sharing or sharing of clients, although costs are shared)

c.  SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE PROFESSIONELLE (SCP) (a company with its own legal personality.  However, all avocats have unlimited personal liability for malpractice).

d.  SOCIÉTÉ D'EXERCISE LIBÉRALE (SEL)  (joint stock corporations, although avocat still bears unlimited personal liability toward clients, but in other cases company is liable)

e.  SOCIÉTÉ EN PARTICIPATION - for Multi-Disciplinary partnerships; has no legal personality

f. GROUPEMENT D'INTÉRÊT ÉCONOMIQUE (GIE)

2/27/03: ASSSIGNMENT: ASSIGNMENT:  FRENCH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURT STRUCTURE

·         E & V pp. 56-77

Recommended Reading

·         Harvard Law Library French Law Research Guide: French Court Structure at: http://www.law.harvard.edu/library/research_guides/french_legal/courts.htm

·         French Ministry of Justice Organisation de la justice en France (General Information about French Court System - in French) at: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/justorg/justorg.htm  See also History of the Judicial System in France at: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/anglais/minister/histo.htm (in English)

·         France: The State and Political Life - The Institutions (includes description of many French courts) at: http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/france/gb/instit/instit04.html

·         Some links to various French Courts of Appeal webpages at: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/reportag/juridic1.htm

·         La Cour de Cassation at: http://www.courdecassation.fr/

·         Code de l'organisation judiciaire (in French) at: http://www.universimmo.com/accueil/unijur088.asp; see also legislative part at: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnCode?code=CORGJUDL.rcv

·         Industrial Tribunals Election Campaign Slow to Take Off (1997) (Material on conseil de prud'hommes) at: http://www.eiro.eurofound.ie/1997/10/Feature/FR9710171F.html

·         Jonathan Wise Polier, Understanding French Commercial Litigation, at: http://www.business-in-europe.com/gb/them/document11235.htm; See also Jonathan Wise Polier, Commercial Litigation in France (2001) at: http://www.paris-law.com/articles/Fench_comercial_litigation-en.htm

WEEK NINE

3/4/03:  NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK

3/6/03:  NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK

WEEK TEN

 3/11/03: ASSIGNMENT:  THE JEWISH LEGAL TRADITION

Required Reading:

·        Glenn Ch. 4 (pp. 85-115)

·        Handout

GUEST LECTURER ON THE JEWISH LEGAL TRADITION:  Professor Benjamin Mintz, The Catholic University of America School of Law.  A graduate of the Columbia Law School, he served as a U.S. government attorney for more than 20 years, completing his government service as chief attorney of the Occupational Safety and Health Division of the U.S. Department of Labor during the first decade of the OSHA program's existence. He has written extensively on OSHA, including one textbook, OSHA: History, Law and Policy, chapter contributions to several other books, and articles. Professor Mintz also received his rabbinical ordination for Yeshiva University. He has lectured and taught on Jewish scholarly subjects, mostly related to the Hebrew Bible, before various community groups in the Washington, D.C. area, and in 1997 he received the Master Teacher Award from the Foundation for Jewish Studies of Washington, D.C. Professor Mintz teaches employment law, administrative law, law and public policy, professional responsibility, torts and Jewish law.

3/13/03:  ASSIGNMENT: FRENCH ADMINISTRATIVE AND MISCELLANEOUS COURTS

·         E & V pp. 78-110

Recommended Reading

·         Conseil D'Etat at: http://www.conseil-etat.fr

·         Cour des Comptes (Audit Court) at: http://www.ccomptes.fr/

·         Cour régionales des comptes (Regional Audit Court) at: http://www.ccomptes.fr/FramePrinc/frame02.htm

·         Tribunal des conflits: see information at: http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/ARBO/140208-FXJUS219.html

·         Conseil Constitutionnel at: http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/ (information on the court in English can be found at: http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/anglais/ang4.htm)

·         Haute cour de justice: see information at: http://www.chez.com/constit/chap10.html  List of members is at: http://www.assemblee-nat.fr/tribun/gene7.asp

·         BBC News, French Aids Blood Trial Opens (Feb. 1999) at: http://www.aegis.com/news/bbc/1999/BB990203.html

·         BBC News, Blood Scandal Ministers Walk Free (March 9, 1999) at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_293000/293367.stm

·         Nanette van der Laan, France Debates Right Not to Be Born, Christian Science Monitor csmonitor.com (Dec. 27, 2001) at: http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1207/p1s3-woeu.htm

 

WEEK ELEVEN

3/18/03:  ASSIGNMENT:  ASSIGNMENT:  FRENCH CIVIL PROCEDURE – 

Required Reading

·         E & V pp. 111-139

Recommended Reading

 

A.  Civil Procedure

B.  Attorney's Fees

·         Simons Country Reports France at: http://212.185.51.227/ipr/e/lb_f_e.htm

·         Arno v. Club Med Boutique (9th Cir. 1998) at: http://laws.lp.findlaw.com/getcase/9th/case/9616435.html

C.  Comparison With U.S. Contingent Fees/ Hourly Billing

·         See generally Jeremy Holmes, "Hourly Billing: A Guide for Law Students" at: http://www.uiowa.edu/~cyberlaw/elp99/holmesj.html 

·         See generally Richard W. Painter, The New American Rule: A First Amendment to the Client’s Bill of Rights , Civil Justice Report, March 1, 2000 at:  http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cjr_1.htm

·         See generally Overlawyered.com The Case for Loser Pays at: http://www.overlawyered.com/topics/lpays.html

·         See also Britannica.com, Legal Ethics, at: http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/printable/9/0,5722,109609,00.html [scroll down to  fees]

·         See also Walter Olson, Sue City: The Case Against the Contingency Fee, Policy Review 1991 at:  http://walterolson.com/articles/contingcy1.html

·         Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, Keys to the Courthouse: Quick Facts about the Contingent Fee System at: http://www.civiljustice.org/fee.html

·         See generally Pine Tree Legal Assistance Legal Aid Around the World at: http://www.ptla.org/international.htm

D.  Legal Aid

·         Legal Aid and Advice in France at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/library/pub/legalaid/fr.html

·         Aide Jurisdictionelle at: http://www.pratique.fr/vieprat/justice/proces/daf0412.htm (in French)

·         Loi No. 91-647 relative à l'aide juridique at: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/publicat/loi91647.htm (amendments at: http://www.justice.gouv.fr/publicat/amiable.htm)

·         Décret no 2000-344 du 19 avril 2000 modifiant le décret no
91-1266 du 19 décembre 1991 et relatif à la composition et au
fonctionnement du Conseil national de l'aide juridique et des
conseils départementaux de l'accès au droit at: http://www.admi.net/jo/20000421/JUSC0020141D.html

3/20/03:  ASSIGNMENT: HINDU LEGAL TRADITION 

Required Reading:

Recommended Reading:

WEEK TWELVE

3/25/03:  HINDU LAW - class is at 12:15-1:30

3/27/03:  ASSIGNMENT: ASSIGNMENT:  FRENCH ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - class is at the normal time

Required Reading

·         E & V pp. 176-191

UNIT 3:  THE COMMON LAW TRADITION - A FOCUS ON ENGLISH LAW

WEEK THIRTEEN

4/1/03:  ASSIGNMENT:  ISLAMIC LAW

Required Reading:

·        Glenn Ch. 6 (pp. 157-204)

·        Handout:

 GUEST LECTURER ON ISLAMIC LAW:  Professor Ahmad Iravani.  Professor Iravani teaches at Mofid University in Qom, the center of Shiite Islamic orthodoxy and learning in Iran.  He has eaned the highest post-doctoral degrees possible in traaditional Islamic teaching (called ljtehad) and until recently served as head of his university's School of Philosophy, while he also taught Islamic economics, law, logic, and philosophy and several other Iranian universities.  Please note that class will be held early, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., Room 307

4/3/03:  ASSIGNMENT: SOURCES OF ENGLISH LAW/ ENGLISH CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM

Required Reading:  Elliott & Quinn, English Legal System ("EQ"), 1--24, 26-28, 51-56, 74-81

Recommended Reading: 

·         Simons Country Reports UK at: http://212.185.51.227/ipr/e/lb_uk_e.htm   

Human Rights Act 1998

European Convention on Human Rights/European Court of Human Rights

  WEEK FOURTEEN

4/8/03:  ASSIGNMENT: ENGLISH LEGAL PROFESSION

Required Reading: EQ pp. 98-116, 122-150

Recommended Reading:  

4/10/03:  ASSIGNMENT: THE ENGLISH CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Required Reading: EQ pp. 358-385

Recommended Reading:

·         Powell Forster solicitors "No Win No Fee" page at: http://www.powfor.ndirect.co.uk/pages/nowinnofee.htm

·         Conditional Fees: Sharing the Risks of Litigation at: http://www.open.gov.uk/lcd/consult/civ-just/confee.htm

·         Access to Justice Act 1999 at: http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/en/1999en22.htm

·         Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 774 (C.16) 
The Access to Justice Act 1999 (Commencement No. 3,
Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2000
http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2000/20000774.htm

·         The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 1998, Statutory Instrument 1998 No. 1860 at:  http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1998/19981860.htm

·         Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 1317 (L. 11)
The Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 3) Rules 2000 http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2000/20001317.htm

·         Collective Conditional Fees a Lord Chancellor's Department Consultation Paper (June 2000) at: http://www.open.gov.uk/lcd/consult/collconfees0600/collconfees0600.htm

·         Legal Services Commission (created pursuant to Access to Justice Act 1999 (link at:  http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/19990022.htm)to administer publicly funded legal services) at: http://www.legal-aid.gov.uk/

·         Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 442 
The Legal Services Commission (Disclosure of
Information) Regulations at: http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/19990022.htm (waiving privilege and confidentiality so service providers can, when the Commission requires, disclose information about clients' cases to enable the Commission to exercise its functions)

·         Quality Mark information at: http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/qmark/index.htm

4/15/03:  ASSIGNMENT: THE ENGLISH CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

Required Reading: TO BE ADDED

Recommended Reading

CRIMINAL COURT SYSTEM:

MAGISTRATES COURTS:

CROWN COURTS

4/17/03:  NO CLASS- EASTER

WEEK SIXTEEN

4/22/03:  GUEST LECTURER ON FRENCH CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Judge Jean-Pierre Picca, Senior Liaison Legal Advisor, Embassy of France, U.S. Department of Justice

ASSIGNMENT:  FRENCH CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

Required Reading: 

·         E & V pp. 140-175

Recommended Reading

·         Renee Lettow Lerner, The Intersection of Two Systems: An American on Trial for an American Murder in the French Cour d'Assises, 2001 U. Ill. L. Rev. 791 (2001).

·         Craig M. Bradley, ed., Criminal Procedure: A Worldwide Study (1999).

·         Bron McKillop, Readings and Hearings in French Criminal Justice: Five Cases in the Tribunal Correctionel, 46 Am. J. Comp. L. 757 (1998)

·         Gordon Van Kessel, European Perspectives on the Accused as a Source of Testimonial Evidence, 100 W. Va. L. Rev. 799 (1998).

·         Bron McKillop, Anatomy of a French Murder Case, 45 Am. J. of Comp. L. 527 (1997)  

4/24/04:  ASSIGNMENT: English Criminal Procedure and  Review

Required Reading:

·        E & V pp. 239-241, 245-65, 277-280, skim 287-300

Recommended Reading: 

 

 

Copyright 2003 Susanna Fischer.  All Rights Reserved.  Last Updated:  Tuesday, April 15, 2003 04:40:16 PM