Magister Legum - LLM / This thesis investigates the possibility of relaxing the privity principle of contract to accommodate the interests of third parties in South Africa. It explores concepts relating to the doctrine of privity as well as the two legs that constitute this common law doctrine. It will draw lessons from the English legal system because English law of contract managed to reform the doctrine of privity in order to accommodate the interests of third parties to a contract. While this thesis is not a comparative study of England and South Africa, it will draw substantially from lessons that can be taken from England with regard to abrogating the privity principle of contract. England has been chosen as the point of reference because there has not yet been any other African country that has reformed this privity principle of the common law of contract in order to accommodate the interests of third parties.

The United States of America is facing an important decision. Should illegal immigrants be allowed to obtain driver’s licenses? Thus far ten states and the District of Columbia as well as Puerto Rico have passed laws permitting this to come into fruition. The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the significance that licensing laws have on this country. This thesis will compare the views and beliefs of both the proponents and opponents to this law. This thesis also discusses how Florida is deeply affected due to its large Hispanic immigrant population. This issue is laden with passion and emotion due to the desire of many to see this group of people that are currently undocumented, have the ability to lead a more normal life and conversely the fear that allowing licenses will give undocumented aliens privileges of citizens and encourage illegal immigration. The views on these laws are divided throughout the nation. The lawfulness is examined in reference to rewarding and promoting illegal immigration and the cumulative negative effects that this can have on this country. The driver’s license requirements were analyzed for each individual state. News articles were researched and used to enrich the pros and cons on this topic. This research was then used to give a recommendation for Florida law

On 1 January 2014 the new Civil Code, the most important piece of legislation, has come into effect. It is a part of large recodification of the Czech civil law. This thesis, "The impact of the new Civil Code on liability insurance", points out the most significant changes and the implications which effects, among others, the insurance sector. The first part of the thesis addresses mostly the theoretical concept of liability, the elemental preconditions of liability and methods of compensation for material and immaterial damage, including comparison of claim rights under former legal norm and the current legal norm. It also mentions the ambiguity in law in case of compensation for work-related injuries and occupational diseases. The second part of the thesis is dedicated to describing the process of implementation of the new Civil Code to operation of insurance companies from both legal and financial point of view. This includes evaluation of the impact of the changes on settlement of compensation claims for immaterial damage from the first available data. The third part is focused on the characteristics of liability insurance and its construction. It includes basic breakdown by legal bindings and a description of types of liability insurances. The conclusion contains overall assessment of liability insurance on the Czech insurance market.

This master's thesis "Valuation of Damages to Building Structures" deals with valuation of defects and damages to buildings. It describes and explains what a damage and a defect are and how they are defined and valuated. The defects and damages are defined and practically valuated on a sample building. Overall interpretation is performed in the conclusion of the thesis.

The extended protection offered to reputed trademarks in article 8(5) EUTMR and in particular the illusive concept of detriment to distinctive character has been causing difficulties for both legislators and courts throughout Europe since the concept was introduced by Frank Schechter in 1927. Detriment to distinctive character, or blurring as it also called, has undergone several changes since its implementation in the first trademark regulation due to case law from the CJEU and no case has had a bigger impact in this area than the Intel judgement. In Intel the court sought to resolve any uncertainties about detriment to distinctive character once and for all by developing the global appreciation test which was to consider all factors relevant to the case at hand. This test was however rather undermined by the introduction of the unsupported requirement that the proprietor had to prove a change in the economic behavior of the consumer. Since Intel, the number of claims regarding detriment to distinctive character has decreased due to the strictness of the requirement and the unwillingness of the court to sufficiently explain what sort of evidence that would effectively prove such change. As it stands, the concept of detriment to distinctive character is in serious risk of becoming redundant due to the current test for blurring not being fit for purpose.

This master's thesis deals with the modern development of the prohibition of reformationis in peius principle in the area of administrative punitive law, in particular in the area of administrative offenses. Although Act No. 250/2016 Coll. has removed the undesirable and criticized "double-track" application of the prohibition of reformatio in peius in the area of administrative punitive law, other difficulties related to the principle in question have not completely disappeared; on the contrary, new legislation has made the situation more difficult in some respect. The main aim of the thesis is to critically analyse this principle in light of the new Act No. 250/2016 Coll. and to assess the impact of the new Act on the administrative practice. The thesis is systematically divided into seven chapters. The first chapter explains general theoretical questions related to the principle in question. The following section describes its constitutional and international basis. The third chapter thoroughly examines the modern development of this principle in the Czech Republic. The content and scope of the prohibition of reformatio in peius in proceedings under Act No. 200/1990 Coll. And in proceedings under Act No. 500/2004 Coll. are being analysed with regard to the conclusions provided by legal academia...

Le présent travail propose une étude sur l’étendue de la protection spéciale de la marque renommée. Dans le cadre de l’examen du régime actuel, il convient d’analyser la notion fondamentale de marque renommée, ainsi que celle de marque notoirement connue. Ensuite, sont examinées les conditions de l’atteinte à la marque renommée communes à toutes les formes d’atteinte : premièrement les conditions positives, et notamment celle de l’existence d’un lien dans l’esprit du public entre la marque renommée invoquée et le signe litigieux, deuxièmement, les conditions négatives, et en particulier l’exception du juste motif. L’étude présente les différentes formes d’atteinte à la marque renommées reconnues en l’état actuel du droit : la dilution, l’avilissement et le profit indûment tiré du caractère distinctif ou de la renommée de la marque. Selon la thèse défendue dans le travail, toutes ces formes d’atteinte à la marque renommée ont des finalités distinctes et sont indépendantes les unes des autres, en permettant de sanctionner différentes hypothèses d’usages de marques renommées par des tiers. Par ailleurs, l’étude situe le régime spécial par rapport au droit commun, d’une part, au droit commun des marques, en distinguant la protection élargie de l’hypothèse du risque de confusion, et, d’autre part, au droit commun de la responsabilité civile qui sanctionne le parasitisme susceptible de compléter la protection conférée aux titulaires sur le terrain de la protection de la marque renommée. Enfin, le travail présente une analyse de la problématique de la réparation des atteintes à la marque renommée en fonction de la forme d’atteinte établie par le titulaire. / The work offers a study on the scope of the special protection of the trade mark with a reputation. In the context of the assessment of the current regime, it is necessary to analyse the fundamental concept of the trade mark with a reputation, as well as the concept of the well known trade mark. Then, the conditions for infringement of the trade mark with a reputation common to all forms of infringement are examined: firstly, the positive conditions, in particular the existence of a link established in the public mind between the mark invoked and the sign in dispute, secondly, the negative conditions, in particular the exception of due cause. The study presents the various forms of infringement of trade marks with a reputation: dilution by blurring, dilution by tarnishment and unfair advantage taken of the distinctive character or the repute of the trade mark. According to the thesis of the work, all those forms of infringement have distinct purposes and are independent of each other, allowing to sanction various uses of trade marks with a reputation by third parties. In addition, the study places the special regime in relation to ordinary law, on the one hand, to the ordinary law of trade marks, by distinguishing between the extended protection and the likelihood of confusion, and, on the other hand, to the ordinary law of civil liability which sanctions the free-riding likely to complete the protection conferred on the right holders by the special regime. Finally, the work presents an analysis of the problem of repairing infringements of the trade marks with a reputation according to the form of infringement established by the right holder. / Rozprawa stanowi studium zakresu szczególnej ochrony renomowanego znaku towarowego. Pracazawiera pogłębioną analizę ewolucji ochrony znaku poza granicami specjalizacji. W ramach ocenyaktualnie obowiązującego reżimu wprowadzonego przez ustawodawcę unijnego w dyrektywieo znakach towarowych oraz w rozporządzeniu o znaku towarowym Unii Europejskiej wypadadokonać analizy fundamentalnego pojęcia znaku renomowanego, jak i pojęcia znaku powszechnieznanego. Następnie analizie poddano przesłanki naruszenia prawa do znaku renomowanegowspólne dla wszystkich postaci naruszenia: w pierwszej kolejności przesłanki pozytywne,w szczególności przesłankę powstania w świadomości odbiorców związku pomiędzy znakiemrenomowanym i spornym oznaczeniem, w drugiej kolejności, przesłanki negatywne, w szczególnościwyjątek uzasadnionej przyczyny używania znaku. Rozprawa przedstawia poszczególne postacinaruszenia prawa do znaku renomowanego uznane w obecnym stanie prawnym: szkodę dlaodróżniającego charakteru (rozwodnienie), szkodę dla renomy (degradację) oraz nienależnąkorzyść czerpaną z odróżniającego charakteru lub renomy znaku. Zgodnie z tezą bronioną w pracy,wszystkie postaci naruszenia prawa do znaku renomowanego służą odrębnym celom i są niezależnewobec siebie, pozwalając sankcjonować różne przypadki używania znaków renomowanych przezosoby trzecie. Ponadto reżim szczególnej ochrony jest w rozprawie sytuowany na tle ogólnychprzepisów prawa, z jednej strony, ogólnego prawa znaków towarowych, poprzez odróżnienierozszerzonej ochrony od hipotezy ryzyka konfuzji, z drugiej strony, przepisów ogólnychprzewidujących sankcje wobec działań charakteryzujących pasożytnictwo, które uzupełniająochronę przyznaną uprawnionym na gruncie prawa do znaku renomowanego. W pracy poddanorównież analizie problematykę odpowiedzialności majątkowej za naruszenie prawa do znakurenomowanego, biorąc pod uwagę postać naruszenia wykazaną przez uprawnionego.

It is traditionally accepted that the basis of contractual liability is either consensus, that is the actual meeting of the minds of the contractants, or the reasonable belief by one contractants that there is consensus. In this paper the various approaches to contractual liability are examined. The conclusion that is reached is that the direct application of reliance protecti~n can -effectively serve as the basis of contractual liability in our law today. It is submitted that the elements to found contractual liability are representation or conduct, unducement; a reasonable reliance upon consensus, and detriment or prejudice. It is forcefully argued that although blameworthiness (fault) may play a substantial role in determining whether reliance upon consensus should be protected, it is not the decisive element to the enquiry: rather regard should be had to all the surrounding circumstances relating to the contractual relationship. / Private Law / LL.M.

It is traditionally accepted that the basis of contractual liability is either consensus, that is the actual meeting of the minds of the contractants, or the reasonable belief by one contractants that there is consensus. In this paper the various approaches to contractual liability are examined. The conclusion that is reached is that the direct application of reliance protecti~n can -effectively serve as the basis of contractual liability in our law today. It is submitted that the elements to found contractual liability are representation or conduct, unducement; a reasonable reliance upon consensus, and detriment or prejudice. It is forcefully argued that although blameworthiness (fault) may play a substantial role in determining whether reliance upon consensus should be protected, it is not the decisive element to the enquiry: rather regard should be had to all the surrounding circumstances relating to the contractual relationship. / Private Law / LL.M.

The thesis investigates the concept of trademark dilution under international and regional trademark law, and under the laws of selected jurisdictions; namely, the United States of America, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Republic of South Africa. The investigation includes measures undertaken to prohibit the internet-based dilution of famous marks through the registration of confusingly similar domain names. It is noted that dilution is imprecisely formulated under international trademark treaty law. In fact, the term "dilution" does not appear in international trademark treaties. To fill the gap of international trademark treaties, various policy initiatives, or `soft law' have been developed, which to some extent clarify both the concept of dilution, the type of mark protected from dilution, and the scope of such protection. The problem is that the policy initiatives are non-binding on States, so that different States have adopted different common law and statutory approaches to the protection of marks against dilution. This is demonstrated, for example, by the fact that the European Union and its Member States provide protection from dilution to "marks with a reputation", while the United States of America provides such protection only to "famous" marks, and the Republic of South Africa protects "marks which are well-known in the Republic" from dilution. The thesis analyses the protection granted in these jurisdictions, to determine the similarities and differences of approach, and to make appropriate law reform proposals to achieve uniformity of protection. In the final analysis, it is concluded that the burden of enforcing dilution provisions rest on the judiciary. This being so, the judiciary is urged to engage in a balancing exercise in deciding dilution cases. The courts should recognize that dilution provisions are powerful tools at the disposal of owners of trademarks with advertising value. At the same time, the courts should be steadfast in ensuring that protection from dilution does not stultify freedom of trade, or create absolute monopolies or a form of copyright in a trademark. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.