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English Legal System (ELS) Overview
Case Law (C...
Table of Contents
English Legal System (ELS):.......................................................................................................................2
ELS – Case law (common law)................................................................................................................................2
Doctrine of binding precedent – ‘stare decisis’:..........................................................................................................................2
Statutory law:........................................................................................................................................................3
Primary legislation i.e. An Act of Parliament:..............................................................................................................................3
Secondary legislation...................................................................................................................................................................3
Statutory interpretation:.......................................................................................................................................3
Main ‘rules’/approaches:.............................................................................................................................................................3
Linguistic presumptions – these are associated with the LITERAL APPROACH:..........................................................................4
Court structure:.....................................................................................................................................................4
Senior Courts – SCA 1981:...........................................................................................................................................................4
Civil appeals:................................................................................................................................................................................4
Rights of audience:................................................................................................................................................4
Constitutional law....................................................................................................................................4
Nature of constitution and sources of constitutional laws:....................................................................................5
Key characteristics of UK constitution:........................................................................................................................................5
Sources of constitutional law:.....................................................................................................................................................5
Conventions:................................................................................................................................................................................5
Thus…...........................................................................................................................................................................................6
Parliament and Parliamentary Sovereignty (PS):...................................................................................................6
Theory and status:.......................................................................................................................................................................6
Parliament – as an institution:.....................................................................................................................................................7
Parliamentary privilege:...............................................................................................................................................................7
Repeal of acts:.............................................................................................................................................................................7
Central Government Accountability:.....................................................................................................................8
Ministerial Code:..........................................................................................................................................................................8
Conventions:................................................................................................................................................................................8
Internal party mechanisms:.........................................................................................................................................................8
Scrutiny through courts:..............................................................................................................................................................9
Separation of powers and devolution:...................................................................................................................9
Separation of powers:..................................................................................................................................................................9
Powers of the court:....................................................................................................................................................................9
Devolution arrangements including Sewel Convention:.............................................................................................................9
Prerogative powers:...................................................................................................................................................................10
Judicial review of prerogative powers:......................................................................................................................................11
Rule of law:............................................................................................................................................11
Access to and independence of the courts:..............................................................................................................................12
Exercise of discretionary powers:..............................................................................................................................................12
Judicial review........................................................................................................................................12
Preliminary and jurisdictional issues:..................................................................................................................12
Key characteristics:....................................................................................................................................................................12
Application for JR:......................................................................................................................................................................12
Who can apply?.........................................................................................................................................................................13
Context of JR challenge (amenability to JR):.............................................................................................................................13
Procedural issues:......................................................................................................................................................................13
Time limits:................................................................................................................................................................................14
Key grounds for JR:..............................................................................................................................................14
Illegality:.....................................................................................................................................................................................14
, Unreasonableness/irrationality:................................................................................................................................................15
Fairness of process (procedural impropriety):..........................................................................................................................16
Legitimate expectation:.............................................................................................................................................................16
Remedies for Judicial Review:.............................................................................................................................17
Retained EU law:....................................................................................................................................17
Scheme for post-‘Brexit’ EU law:.........................................................................................................................18
Continued effect of EU law:.......................................................................................................................................................18
‘Preserved’ EU law.....................................................................................................................................................................18
Retained EU law:........................................................................................................................................................................18
Human rights..........................................................................................................................................19
Preliminary issues and concepts..........................................................................................................................19
The margin of appreciation doctrine:........................................................................................................................................19
Human Rights Act 1988 – function:...........................................................................................................................................19
HRA ‘claims’ – procedure:..........................................................................................................................................................20
Duty on public authorities:........................................................................................................................................................20
In cases where there has been a death caused due to police action:.......................................................................................20
Enforceability through HRA.................................................................................................................................21
Enforcement process – A...........................................................................................................................................................21
Enforcement process – B...........................................................................................................................................................21
Broad structure of key articles.............................................................................................................................22
Rights relating to the person.....................................................................................................................................................22
Rights relating to liberty and fair process..................................................................................................................................22
Qualified rights..........................................................................................................................................................................23
NOTE – ART 8 AND ART 10 CAN COMPETE AGAINST EACHOTHER -> INDIRECT HORIZONTAL EFFECT:....................................24
Remedies for breaches of HRs:............................................................................................................................25
Injunctions:................................................................................................................................................................................25
Public Order law – processions and assemblies; breach of peace.............................................................25
Public order law:.................................................................................................................................................25
Sections 11 – 14A Public Order Act 1986 (as amended)...........................................................................................................25
Breach of the peace:..................................................................................................................................................................26
English Legal System (ELS):
What is equity?
- A body of rules and principles designed to remedy the rigidity of the common law.
ELS – Case law (common law)
Doctrine of binding precedent – ‘stare decisis’:
Basic rule = superior courts (down to High Court level)
bind lower courts (courts beneath them) and ‘themselves’
at equivalent level in relation to ratio (the legal principle
applied to material facts)
Exceptions to prevent law from ossifying (freezing in
time):
Court of Appeal can depart from its own decisions
(Young v Bristol Aeroplane) in 3 situations:
, o (a) If the CA came to previously conflicting decisions, ‘today’s’ CA can select the one to
follow.
o (b) If the CA’s own previous decision has been overruled expressly or impliedly by the
Supreme Court or House of Lords, it need not be followed.
o (c) If the CA’s previous decision was made per incuriam (only applies when the previous
court was not aware of a relevant authority (in case or statute) which would have been
binding on the court’ and that ignorance led to faulty reasoning by the court.
Supreme Court can depart (1966 Practice Statement) – but danger of disturbing rules
retrospectively e.g. contract, land – need for certainty in criminal law
Distinguishing precedent example:
- In a current High Court case, the judge finds that the material facts, though similar in nature to that
of an old Court of Appeal case which established a precedent on a particular point of law, are
sufficiently different to justify not being bound by that precedent.
Statutory law:
Primary legislation i.e. An Act of Parliament:
Superior status to common law – can override common law rules
Cannot be invalidated (because of parliamentary sovereignty)
Key elements of Acts of Parliament:
o Short i.e. basic title
o Long title i.e. brief description (purpose)
o Divided by parts containing a number of different sections which are further divided into
subsections
Secondary legislation
This is made by the executive – on the basis of an authority given to it by Parliament in a ‘Parent
Act’ (primary act giving authority for e.g. SOS to create secondary legislation to fill in gaps and
details, allowing SOS to implement act on a certain date)
Secondary legislation takes the form of a statutory instrument or regulation
Importantly, these can be quashed by the court if deemed to fall outside the authority given by Parlt
to the minister – authority is ultra vires – so can be invalidated
Statutory interpretation:
Main ‘rules’/approaches:
Literal interpretation: ordinary, plain and natural meaning, use of extrinsic aids such as a dictionary
Golden rule: to avoid unnatural or absurd outcomes
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