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Summary Introduction to Law 171 Summaries
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- Introduction to Law 171
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- Stellenbosch University (SUN)
Introduction to Law 171 Summaries for 2020.
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Introduction To Law171
Notes
Sune-Mari Koekemoer
2020
[]
,Contents
SOURCES OF SOUTH AFRICAN LAW..................................................................................................1
CONSTITUTION...................................................................................................................................1
CONSTITUTION AS A SOURCE........................................................................................................................1
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CONSTITUTION..................................................................................................2
LEGISLATION......................................................................................................................................2
WHAT IS LEGISLATION.................................................................................................................................2
POWER OF LEGISLATION..............................................................................................................................3
WHEN DOES LEGISLATION COME INTO FORCE...................................................................................................6
APPLICATION OF LEGISLATION.......................................................................................................................6
WHEN DOES LEGISLATION STOP BEING IN FORCE?.............................................................................................6
LAW-MAKING PROCESS................................................................................................................................7
STATUTORY MATERIAL................................................................................................................................7
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE..............................................................................................................................7
REGULATIONS............................................................................................................................................8
CASE LAW.........................................................................................................................................8
FUNCTIONS OF COURTS................................................................................................................................8
DOCTRINE OF JUDICIAL PRECEDENT................................................................................................................8
HIERARCHY OF COURTS...............................................................................................................................9
APPLICATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF PRECEDENT.............................................................................................10
RATIO DECIDENDI AND OBITER DICTA..........................................................................................................10
MORE THAN ONE JUDGEMENT...................................................................................................................11
PROS AND COS OF THE DOCTRINE OF PRECEDENT..........................................................................................11
VALUE OF PRECEDENT AS A SOURCE OF LAW..................................................................................................11
REPORTED CASES.....................................................................................................................................11
FINDING CASES........................................................................................................................................12
HOW DO I FIND A CASE?............................................................................................................................12
COMMON LAW.................................................................................................................................13
ROMAN-DUTCH.......................................................................................................................................13
SOURCES................................................................................................................................................13
CUSTOM.........................................................................................................................................13
CUSTOMARY LAW.............................................................................................................................14
[i]
,DEFINING CUSTOMARY LAW.......................................................................................................................14
RECOGNITION OF CUSTOMARY LAW.............................................................................................................14
WRITINGS OF MODERN AUTHORS........................................................................................................14
INTERNATIONAL AND FOREIGN LAW......................................................................................................15
INTERNATIONAL LAW................................................................................................................................15
FOREIGN LAW..........................................................................................................................................15
QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................................................16
THE LAW.........................................................................................................................................18
PRESCRIBED CASES.........................................................................................................................18
WHAT IS THE LAW?.........................................................................................................................18
OBJECTIVES OF THE LAW.....................................................................................................................18
WHAT FACTORS CAN INFLUENCE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE LAW?....................................................................19
CHARACTERISTICS: IDEAL VIEW OF THE LAW.............................................................................................19
FUNCTIONS OF THE LAW.....................................................................................................................19
THE LAW AND MORALITY...............................................................................................................20
RELIGION................................................................................................................................................20
INDIVIDUAL MORALITY..............................................................................................................................21
COMMUNITY MORES................................................................................................................................21
THE LAW AND JUSTICE....................................................................................................................21
LEGAL POSITIVISM.............................................................................................................................22
NATURAL LAW.................................................................................................................................23
THE LAW AND CERTAINTY...............................................................................................................23
LANGUAGE......................................................................................................................................23
CHANGING VALUES............................................................................................................................23
JUDICIAL DISCRETION.........................................................................................................................24
[ii]
,QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................................................24
CLASSIFICATION OF THE LAW.........................................................................................................26
PRINCIPLES OF CATEGORISATION OF POSITIVE LAW.......................................................................27
INTERNATIONAL LAW.....................................................................................................................28
NATIONAL LAW..............................................................................................................................28
ADJECTIVAL LAW...............................................................................................................................28
LAW OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE...................................................................................................................28
LAW OF CIVIL PROCEDURE.........................................................................................................................28
LAW OF EVIDENCE....................................................................................................................................29
LEGAL INTERPRETATION.............................................................................................................................29
SUBSTANTIVE LAW............................................................................................................................29
PUBLIC LAW.....................................................................................................................................30
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW..............................................................................................................................30
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW...............................................................................................................................30
CRIMINAL LAW........................................................................................................................................30
PRIVATE LAW...................................................................................................................................30
FAMILY LAW............................................................................................................................................31
LAW OF PERSONS.....................................................................................................................................31
LAW OF PATRIMONY.................................................................................................................................31
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LAW...................................................................................32
CRIME V DELICT................................................................................................................................33
HYBRID LAW DISCIPLINES....................................................................................................................33
MERCANTILE LAW....................................................................................................................................33
PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW (CONFLICT OF LAWS).......................................................................................33
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW..............................................................................................................................33
EDUCATION LAW......................................................................................................................................34
OTHER...................................................................................................................................................34
QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................................................35
[iii]
,ADJUDICATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION......................................................36
ADJUDICATION.................................................................................................................................36
EMPHASIS ON IMPORTANCE OF THE INDEPENDENCE AND IMPARTIALITY OF THE JUDICIARY......................................36
INDEPENDENCE OF COURTS........................................................................................................................36
IMPARTIALITY OF THE JUDICIARY..................................................................................................................36
TERMINOLOGY & TYPES OF PROCEEDINGS: CIVIL PROCEDURE, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, LEAVE TO
APPEAL AND REVIEW......................................................................................................................37
COURT SYSTEMS AND OFFICIALS...........................................................................................................37
MAGISTRATE’S COURTS.............................................................................................................................37
HIGH COURT...........................................................................................................................................37
OFFICIALS...............................................................................................................................................38
WHERE TO FIND THE RELEVANT LAW............................................................................................................38
MAP OF CIVIL PROCEDURE.........................................................................................................................38
APPLICATION V ACTION.............................................................................................................................38
DECLARATORY ORDERS..............................................................................................................................39
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE..............................................................................................................................39
APPLICATION FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL OR REVIEW.............................................................................................39
STRUCTURE AND JURISDICTION OF COURTS...................................................................................40
COURT STRUCTURE IN SA...............................................................................................................40
DISTINCTION....................................................................................................................................40
JURISDICTION...................................................................................................................................40
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF JURISDICTION.........................................................................................................40
TYPE OF CASE..........................................................................................................................................40
GEOGRAPHIC AREA...................................................................................................................................41
COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE, APPEALS OR REVIEWS....................................................................................41
COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE.........................................................................................................................41
APPEAL...................................................................................................................................................42
REVIEW..................................................................................................................................................42
MAGISTRATE’S COURT.......................................................................................................................42
[iv]
,HIGH COURT....................................................................................................................................43
SUPREME COURT OF APPEAL...............................................................................................................44
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT....................................................................................................................45
CONSTITUTION SEVENTEENTH AMENDMENT ACT OF 23 AUG 2013..................................................................45
EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL COURT.....................................................................................46
QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................................................48
SUBJECTIVE RIGHTS........................................................................................................................49
GENERAL INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................49
DISTINCTION BETWEEN POSITIVE LAW AND LAW IN THE SUBJECTIVE SENSE......................................................49
LEGAL SUBJECT.................................................................................................................................50
CAPACITIES......................................................................................................................................50
1. LEGAL CAPACITY...................................................................................................................................50
2. CAPACITY TO ACT..................................................................................................................................50
3. CAPACITY TO TAKE PART IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS........................................................................................51
4. ACCOUNTABILITY..................................................................................................................................51
FUNCTIONING OF SUBJECTIVE RIGHTS.....................................................................................................51
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEGAL SUBJECT AND LEGAL OBJECT.............................................................................51
POWERS.................................................................................................................................................52
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEGAL SUBJECT AND LEGAL SUBJECT............................................................................52
PROTECTION OF SUBJECTIVE RIGHTS......................................................................................................52
PATRIMONIAL RIGHTS...............................................................................................................................52
NON PATRIMONIAL RIGHTS........................................................................................................................53
QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................................................53
LITIGATION.....................................................................................................................................56
LAW OF CIVIL PROCEDURE..............................................................................................................56
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................56
SOURCES OF THE LAW OF CIVIL PROCEDURE..................................................................................................56
PURPOSE OF LAW OF CIVIL PROCEDURE........................................................................................................56
[v]
,LEGAL RELIEF...........................................................................................................................................56
GENERAL PRINCIPLES.........................................................................................................................57
TYPE OF PROCEEDINGS..............................................................................................................................57
STAGES OF PROCEEDINGS....................................................................................................................58
PLEADING STAGE......................................................................................................................................58
TRIAL STAGE............................................................................................................................................58
POSSIBLE SUBSEQUENT PROCEEDINGS..........................................................................................................59
EXECUTION.............................................................................................................................................59
APPEAL...................................................................................................................................................59
ACTION PROCEEDINGS........................................................................................................................60
PLEADING STAGE: SEQUENCE OF PLEADINGS..................................................................................................60
TRIAL STAGE............................................................................................................................................61
EXECUTION.............................................................................................................................................62
APPLICATION PROCEEDINGS.................................................................................................................63
EX PARTE APPLICATIONS.....................................................................................................................63
THE APPLICANT AND THE RESPONDENT..................................................................................................63
1. THE FOUNDING AFFIDAVIT.....................................................................................................................64
2. ANSWERING THE AFFIDAVIT....................................................................................................................64
3. THE REPLYING AFFIDAVIT.......................................................................................................................64
4. TRIAL.................................................................................................................................................64
5. EXECUTION..........................................................................................................................................65
THE LAW OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE...............................................................................................67
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................67
SOURCES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.............................................................................................................67
THE PRE-TRIAL.................................................................................................................................67
THE REPORT............................................................................................................................................67
THE POLICE INVESTIGATION........................................................................................................................67
DECISION TO PROSECUTE BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS (DPP).....................................................68
ACCUSED BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT: ARREST OR SUMMONS?......................................................................68
BAIL.......................................................................................................................................................68
THE TRIAL.......................................................................................................................................69
THE TRIAL ON MERIT................................................................................................................................69
THE TRIAL ON SENTENCE...........................................................................................................................71
[vi]
,QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................................................71
LEGAL PROFESSION.........................................................................................................................73
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................73
TRADITIONAL CAREERS IN PRIVATE SECTOR.............................................................................................73
ATTORNEYS.............................................................................................................................................73
ADVOCATES.............................................................................................................................................74
CONVEYANCER.................................................................................................................................75
NOTARY..........................................................................................................................................75
LEGAL CAREERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR..................................................................................................75
PROSECUTORS.........................................................................................................................................75
PRESIDING OFFICER..................................................................................................................................75
STATE ATTORNEYS....................................................................................................................................75
STATE LEGAL ADVISOR..............................................................................................................................76
REGISTRAR OF THE HC/CLERK OF THE MC....................................................................................................76
LEGAL REPRESENTATION.....................................................................................................................76
COSTS....................................................................................................................................................76
EXISTING LEGAL AID.................................................................................................................................76
QUESTIONS.....................................................................................................................................77
LEGAL HISTORY...............................................................................................................................78
INTRODUCTION TO LEGAL HISTORY........................................................................................................78
STEARNS PN: “WHY STUDY HISTORY?”........................................................................................................78
GENERAL................................................................................................................................................79
COCKRELL A: “STUDYING LEGAL HISTORY IN SOUTH AFRICA: THE LESSON OF LOT’S WIFE”.....................................80
HISTORICAL FUNCTION OF THE LAW......................................................................................................80
EXTERNAL LEGAL HISTORY, INTERNAL LEGAL HISTORY AND LEGAL HISTORICAL FRAMEWORKS............................81
EARLY HISTORY................................................................................................................................82
ANCIENT LAW (753 BCE – 250 BCE).........................................................................................................82
PRE-CLASSICAL LAW (250 BCE – 27 BCE)..................................................................................................83
CLASSICAL LAW (27 BCE – 284 CE) : PRINCIPATE.....................................................................................86
POST-CLASSICAL LAW (284 -527)..............................................................................................................88
[vii]
,JUSTINIAN LAW (527 – 565).....................................................................................................................89
GERMANIC LAW AND LEGAL DEVELOPMENT............................................................................................89
GERMANIC TRIBES....................................................................................................................................90
EARLY GERMANIC LAW (UP UNTIL 400).......................................................................................................90
FRANKISH PERIOD (400 – 800)..................................................................................................................90
THE HIGH TO LATE MIDDLE AGES (1000-1500)......................................................................................92
THE GLOSSATORS.....................................................................................................................................92
SCHOOL OF ORLEANS (ULTRAMONTANI).................................................................................................93
POST-ACCURSIANI.............................................................................................................................94
POST-GLOSSATORE............................................................................................................................94
CANON LAW....................................................................................................................................95
HUMANISTS.....................................................................................................................................96
THE GREAT RECEPTION..............................................................................................................................96
USUS MODERNUS PANDECTARUM...............................................................................................................96
SCHOOL OF NATURAL LAW (AND LEGAL POSITIVISM)......................................................................................97
HISTORICAL SCHOOL (PANDECTISTS)............................................................................................................97
LEGAL HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS...................................................................................................97
BACKGROUND..........................................................................................................................................97
DUTCH LAW BEFORE RECEPTION:.................................................................................................................98
RECEPTION OF ROMAN LAW.......................................................................................................................98
OLD AUTHORITIES....................................................................................................................................98
CODIFICATION..........................................................................................................................................99
DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN LAW..............................................................................................100
ESTABLISHMENT OF RDL AT THE CAPE........................................................................................................100
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.........................................................................................................................100
LEGISLATION: SUPPLEMENTED AND EXTENDED (PLACAATEN)...........................................................................100
CASE LAW.............................................................................................................................................101
CUSTOM...............................................................................................................................................101
BRITISH TAKE-OVER: RETENTION AND EXPANSION OF RDL.......................................................................101
EARLY ENGLISH INFILTRATION...................................................................................................................101
ENGLISH LEGAL INFLUENCE.......................................................................................................................102
SA LAW: DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1910...................................................................................................103
31/05/1910: UNION OF SA............................................................................................................103
IDEOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF THE LAW..................................................................................104
[viii]
, SECURITY LEGISLATION......................................................................................................................105
POSITIVISM V NON-POSITIVISM..........................................................................................................105
INDIGENOUS LEGAL SYSTEMS..............................................................................................................106
GENERAL..............................................................................................................................................106
DISTINCTIVE NATURE OF SA LAW........................................................................................................107
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................107
STRUCTURE OF THE LAW..........................................................................................................................107
QUESTIONS...................................................................................................................................109
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS
.....................................................................................................................................................119
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................119
CHANGES BROUGHT BY THE INTERIM CONSTITUTION......................................................................................119
CREATION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE.............................................................................................119
FEATURES OF THE UNION CONSTITUTION....................................................................................................120
PARLIAMENTARY SUPREMACY...................................................................................................................120
SOLIDIFICATION OF PARLIAMENTARY SUPREMACY: CONSTITUTIONAL CRISES OF 1950’S........................................121
EXCLUSION OF JUDICIAL REVIEW...............................................................................................................122
CONSTRUCTION OF A DIVIDED STATE....................................................................................................123
1948...........................................................................................................................................123
REPUBLIC 1961.....................................................................................................................................124
SHARPEVILLE, 21 MARCH 1960...............................................................................................................124
STEVE BIKO...........................................................................................................................................124
THE STATE V NELSON MANDELA AND OTHERS.............................................................................................124
MANDELA’S SPEECH FROM THE DOCK.........................................................................................................125
EFFECT OF THE RIVONIA TRIAL............................................................................................................125
RESISTING THE CALL TO BROADEN DEMOCRATIC BASIS...................................................................................125
NEGOTIATING A PEACEFUL TRANSITION.......................................................................................................125
DRAFTING FINAL CONSTITUTION................................................................................................................126
CONSTITUTIONAL SUPREMACY............................................................................................................127
THE CONSTITUTION AS A BRIDGE...............................................................................................................127
BILL OF RIGHTS......................................................................................................................................128
CLASSIFICATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS...........................................................................................................128
[ix]
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