Judging Europe’s Judges

Judging Europe’s Judges PDF

Author: Maurice Adams

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2014-07-18

Total Pages: 447

ISBN-13: 1782252312

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After successive waves of EU enlargement, and pursuant to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Court of Justice finds itself on the brink of a new era. Both the institution itself and the broader setting within which it operates have become more heterogeneous than ever before. The issues now arriving on its docket are also often of great complexity, covering an unprecedented number of fields. The aims of this volume are to study the impact of these developments, examine the legitimacy of the Court's output in this novel context and provide an appraisal of its overall performance. In doing so, specific attention is paid to its most recent case law on four topics: the general principles of EU law, external relations, the internal market and Union citizenship. Featuring contributions by Maurice Adams, Henri de Waele, Johan Meeusen and Gert Straetmans, Koen Lenaerts, Ján Mazák and Martin Moser, Stephen Weatherill, Jukka Snell, Michael Dougan, Daniel Thym, Eileen Denza, Michal Bobek, and Joseph Weiler.

Selecting Europe's Judges

Selecting Europe's Judges PDF

Author: Michal Bobek

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 019872778X

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"The past decade has witnessed changes in the ways judges for the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights are selected. The common aim has been securing greater professional quality of the judicial candidates. For this purpose, both European systems have put in place various advisory panels or selection committees that are called to evaluate the aptitude of the candidates put forward by the national governments. Were these institutional reforms successful in guaranteeing greater quality of the candidates? Might they have any positive impact on the legitimacy of the European courts? Has the creation of the expert advisory panels in any way shifted the institutional balance, either horizontally among the various institutions of the respective international organization, or vertically between the organization and its member state? Above all, however, is the spree of 'judicial comitology' as currently applied a good method of selecting Europe's judges? These and a number of other questions are addressed in this volume in a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. First, the volume describes for the first time in depth the operation of the new selection mechanisms from different vantage points, including not just academic, but also practitioners' points of view. Second, having mapped the ground, it critically engages with selected common themes in a comparative way, analyzing the new mechanisms with respect to values and principles such as democracy, judicial independence, transparency, representativeness, and legitimacy"--Unedited summary from book jacket.

Judicial Independence

Judicial Independence PDF

Author: Carl Baudenbacher

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-01-30

Total Pages: 520

ISBN-13: 3030023087

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This book is about law, but it is not a law book. It is aimed at all interested contemporaries, lawyers and non-lawyers alike. Richly seasoned with personal memories and anecdotes, it offers unique insights into how European courts actually work. It is generally assumed that independence is part and parcel of the role and function of a judge. Nevertheless, European judges sometimes face difficulties in this regard. Owing to their being nominated by a government, their limited term of appointment, and the possibility of being reappointed or not, their judicial independence can be jeopardized. Certain governments have a track record of choosing candidates who they believe they can keep on a leash. When this happens, private parties are at risk of losing out. The EFTA Court is under even more pressure, since the EEA/EFTA states Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway essentially constitute a pond with one big fish (Norway) and two minnows. For quite some time now, certain Norwegian protagonists have sought to effectively transform the EEA into a bilateral agreement with the EU. This attitude has led to political implications that have affected the author himself. The independence of the EFTA Court is also endangered by the fact that it operates alongside a large sister court, the Court of Justice of the European Union. And yet the EFTA Court has established its own line of jurisprudence and its own judicial style. It has remained faithful to specific EFTA values, such as the belief in free trade and open markets, efficiency, and a modern view of mankind. During the first 24 years of its existence, it has even had an over-proportionate influence on ECJ case law. Since EEA Single Market law is economic law, the importance of economics, an often-overlooked aspect, is also addressed. In closing, the book explores Switzerland’s complicated relationship with, and Britain’s impending departure from, the EU. In this regard, it argues that the EFTA pillar should be expanded into a second European structure under British leadership and with Swiss participation.

Constitutionalising the EU Judicial System

Constitutionalising the EU Judicial System PDF

Author: Pascal Cardonnel

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-08-20

Total Pages: 536

ISBN-13: 1847319939

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These essays, written in honour of retired ECJ judge Pernilla Lindh, reflect on the development of courts and judging in the EU since the founding of the Union. In particular they focus on recent reforms and proposals aimed at further increasing public confidence and democratic accountability throughout the EU judicial system.

Central European Judges Under the European Influence

Central European Judges Under the European Influence PDF

Author: Michal Bobek

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2015-11-19

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 1782259899

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The onset of the 2004 EU enlargement witnessed a number of predictions being made about the approaches, capacity and ability of Central European judges who were soon to join the Union. Optimistic voices, foreshadowing the deep transformative power that Europe was bound to exercise with respect to the judicial mentality and practice in the new Member States, were intertwined with gloomy pictures of post-Communist limited formalism and mechanical jurisprudence that could not be reformed, which were likely to undermine the very foundations of mutual trust and recognition the judicial system of the Union is built upon. Ten years later, this volume revisits these predictions and critically assesses the evolution of Central European judicial mentality, institutions and constitutionality under the influence of the EU membership. Comparatively evaluating the situation in a number of Central European Member States in their socio-legal contexts, notably Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania, the volume offers unique insights into the process of (non) Europeanisation of national legal systems and cultures.

A True European

A True European PDF

Author: Mark Hoskins

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2004-01-15

Total Pages: 447

ISBN-13: 1847310702

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Judge David Edward has enjoyed a glittering career. After a substantial,successful period in Scotland, both as a practising advocate and professor of EC law, he was appointed to the Court of First Instance upon its creation in 1989. He was subsequently appointed to the Court of Justice where he has served for many years. This book has been prepared in honour of his retirement from that position in December 2003. The contributions reflect all aspects of Judge Edward's career as a lawyer, both in Scotland and in Luxembourg. In keeping with the respect with which he is held, contributions have been received from eminent members of the Scottish and Luxembourg judiciary, academics and practitioners. Not surprisingly, the main focus is on Community law, with important contributions on competition, institutional, substantive and remedial issues. This book will be an essential addition to the library of anyone with a genuine interest in Community law.

How to Measure the Quality of Judicial Reasoning

How to Measure the Quality of Judicial Reasoning PDF

Author: Mátyás Bencze

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-08-30

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 3319973169

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This edited volume examines the very essence of the function of judges, building upon developments in the quality of justice research throughout Europe. Distinguished authors address a gap in the literature by considering the standards that individual judgments should meet, presenting both academic and practical perspectives. Readers are invited to consider such questions as: What is expected from judicial reasoning? Is there a general concept of good quality with regard to judicial reasoning? Are there any attempts being made to measure the quality of judicial reasoning? The focus here is on judges meeting the highest standards possible in adjudication and how they may be held to account for the way they reason. The contributions examine theoretical questions surrounding the measurement of the quality of judicial reasoning, practices and legal systems across Europe, and judicial reasoning in various international courts. Six legal systems in Europe are featured: England and Wales, Finland, Italy, the Czech Republic, France and Hungary as well as three non-domestic levels of court jurisdictions, including the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The depth and breadth of subject matter presented in this volume ensure its relevance for many years to come. All those with an interest in benchmarking the quality of judicial reasoning, including judges themselves, academics, students and legal practitioners, can find something of value in this book.

Perceptions of the Independence of Judges in Europe

Perceptions of the Independence of Judges in Europe PDF

Author: Frans van Dijk

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-12-14

Total Pages: 113

ISBN-13: 3030631435

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This open access book is about the perception of the independence of the judiciary in Europe. Do citizens and judges see its independence in the same way? Do judges feel that their independence is respected by the users of the courts, by the leadership of the courts and by politicians? Does the population trust the judiciary more than other public institutions, or less? How does independence of the judiciary work at the national level and at the level of the European Union? These interrelated questions are particularly relevant in times when the independence of the judiciary is under political pressure in several countries in the European Union, giving way to illiberal democracy. Revealing surveys among judges, lay judges and lawyers - in addition to regular surveys of the European Commission - provide a wealth of information to answer these questions. While the answers will not please everyone, they are of interest to a wide audience, in particular court leaders, judges, lawyers, politicians and civil servants.

Judging European Democracy

Judging European Democracy PDF

Author: Nik de Boer

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2023-08-11

Total Pages: 385

ISBN-13: 0192845233

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In several EU Member States, constitutional courts have reviewed European law on its compatibility with national constitutional law. These judgments deal with issues of major importance such as EU democratic legitimacy, the protection of fundamental rights, and the status of national sovereignty within the EU. Yet should national courts decide such issues of key constitutional significance for the EU? Or is it more democratic to leave these matters to political institutions that represent Europe's citizens and are politically accountable to them? In Judging European Democracy, Nik de Boer argues that the national courts' review of European law can actually constrain democratic debate over the EU's constitutional underpinnings. Rather than opening up a space for discourse or addressing democratic problems with the EU's decision-making process, national courts risk taking sides in good faith political disagreements among elected legislators about constitutional questions relating to the EU, thus distorting, rather than protecting, the democratic decision-making process. Judging European Democracy uniquely combines constitutional and political theory with an in-depth case study of the German Constitutional Court, the EU's most authoritative constitutional court. Based on an extensive analysis of parliamentary debates, EU policy documents, and interviews with politicians, policymakers, and constitutional court judges, the case study shows how the German Constitutional Court has distorted political debate and democracy in the EU. Scholars, practitioners, and policymakers involved in political theory, political science, EU constitutional law, and European integration will find this book compelling.