Resume
Summary Introduction to Law
- Cours
- C0OP1a
- Établissement
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)
An in-depth summary of the course: Introduction to Law C0OP1a, with everything you need to pass the exam.
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Indi BornIntroduction to Law C0OP1a
jan 2024
MODULE 1: BASICS OF LAW
WHAT IS LAW?
- legal rules that are enforced by collective means and in particular by organs of the
state
- tells how people should behave, and also contains definitions, division of state
Characteristics of Law:
1. Text-Based Rules → codified
2. Prohibitions [do not kill]
3. Obligations [paying taxes]
4. Rights [privacy]
5. Competences for public authorities [police can ask for ID]
6. Definitions [“personal data is any information that can directly or indirectly identify a
person”]
→ usually adopted by legislative power which regulates society
→ can only be changed following specific procedures and enforceable [court,police]
Dura Lex, Sed Lex: law is hard, but it is the law
→ the law today will be the law tomorrow
the importance of legal certainty sometimes prevails over the ‘best’ solution for a
problem/society
- certainty about content, enforcement, applying law consistently
- = general and impersonal nature “one size fits all”
time evolves, so does law:
- ie: Antwerp 29 April 2019 → “animals are not objects, but creatures with feelings,
who have certain rights.”
- New laws about custody of pets and visiting rights in case of divorce.
- Law [objective] vs. Rights [subjective]
- natural person
- legal person
- State as a subject of law
Law as a phenomenon [objective]
- set of general written rules for outward behaviour of people living in a social context
- observance of these rules is enforced by the state
Law from an individual perspective [subjective]
- a specific claim that a person derives from a legal rule
- → obligation to do / to give / to abstain from RIGHTS
1
,subjective rights are derived from the objective law → i have rights because my claim is
protected by/grounded in law → i can claim my property because the law protects the right of
personal property [rules on property = acquisition, loss, expropriation, theft]
In example: art. 3.67 Belgian Civil Code “if a good or an animal accidentally ends up on an
adjacent parcel, the owner of that parcel must give it back or allow the owner of the good or
animal to remove it.” Objective or Subjective?
Natural Person: you and me
Legal Person: company, non-profit organization
both are subjects of law → both have rights and obligations: you can sue a company [in
principle not its owners or directors – separate person with a separate patrimony]
the State Individuals
represents and defends the general interest
comes with power:
- property law; public domain
obligations:
- property law: has to be protected by
State
you can sue the state
things that are not law:
- religion/social norms
- ethics
- standards [ISO standards]
- the market
- technology
SOURCES AND HIERARCHY OF LAW
“SOURCE OF LAW” will be used here as all the relevant interpretative materials. In other
words, the sources of law are never a single act [of the legislature etc.] alone but a whole
range of binding instruments of a variety of kinds.
1. constitution
2. international agreements
3. legislation
4. administrative regulations
5. ministerial decrees
6. court decisions [precedents; case law]
7. customary law
8. legal writing [scolarship; books, articles, case
notes..]
1. Constitution
2
,specifies the basic allocation of power in a society: who gets to decide what the laws will be?
- aspirations and goals of a society → Indian constitution: everyone in society should
have all that is necessary for them to lead a life of minimal dignity and social
self-respect – minimum material well being, education etc. → Indian Constitution
enables the government to take positive welfare measures, some of which are legally
enforceable.
TRIAS POLITICA → Montesquieu
legislative branch [legislation] → criminal, civil: individuals and authorities know the limits
and consequences of their actions [Statutes Acts of Parliament] → Parliament
international agreements: incorporated by passing domestic legislation → legislative
branch
executive: clarifies what is written by legislative, making law applicable → regulations and
rules are issues, show how to enforce specific laws: regulations and ministerial decrees →
the Government
judicial: court decisions
customary law: binding but unwritten, often replaced by legislation or case law
2. Legislation → Statutes Acts of Parliament, written law created by parliament
Civil Code, Criminal Code, Administration Code, Code of Intellectual Property Rights,
Bankruptcy Enforcement Code, Trade Law, Environmental Code
- Thanks to these legislations whose purpose is the prescribed results to the
prescribed facts, individuals & the authorities know the limits and consequences of
their actions.
- anyone can resort to the courts over such questions, while being assured that the
judge will not rely on his personal views but on a collective set of rules
3. Customary Law
3
, - customs and traditions implemented into law or complete them → patterns of
behaviour within a social setting
- gives space for differences in cultures/religions → they cannot contradict the
- purpose of legislation.
In example:
- “the Swiss Civil Code [1997]: the law applies according to its wording or interpretation
to ALL legal questions for which it contains a provision. In the absence of such
provision, the court shall decide in accordance with customary law and, in the
absence of customary law, in accordance with the rule that it would make as
legislator. In doing so, the court shall follow established doctrine and case law.”
- Turkish Inheritance and Succession Law n.7338: “Article 4 - the transfers shown
below are exempt from inheritance and succession tax: gifts, devices, honours and
dowries that are customarily given [excluding real estate]”
Hierarchy of Law:
- everything needs to be validated from the constitution → new constitution needs to
be made from the rules of the old one.
- in case of revolution: end point of national law, but still: some forms of international
law as the basis of its validity.
European Convention of Human Rights, 1950 → “reaffirming their profound belief in those
fundamental freedoms which are the foundation of justice and peace in the world and are the
best maintained on the one hand by an effective political democracy and on the other by a
common understanding and observance of the Human Rights upon which they depend;”
Preamble, charter of Fundamental rights of the EU, 2012 → “Conscious of its spiritual and
moral heritage, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity,
freedom, equality and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of
law. It places the individual at the heart of its activities, by establishing the citizenship of the
Union and by creating an area of freedom, security and justice.”
Rule by Law = a state depending on law for its functioning: everyone follows the law
Rule of Law [Rechtsstaat] = a state depending on law for its functioning whereby the law is
guided by certain values → the law is based on values/human rights, dignity, democracy
[what the law is based on]
Hierarchy between National and International Law is difficult to establish:
What happens if an international agreement infringes on national norms/laws?
- depends on constitution of said country → look at constitution of a state to see
EU Law: where does it stand in hierarchy?
- [many] EU states changed their constitution to give bias to EU Law.
ie: said constitution will have guide of how to solve inconsistency between EU
- and national [constitutional] Law
Why do we need a hierarchy of norms?
- ensure all acts of legislative/executive/judiciary respect the rule of law
- solve possible conflict between norms
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