Text in Afrikaans / Die verhandeling behels 'n holistiese benadering tot die geskiedenis van die Israelitiese stamme/clans gedurende die 'tyd van die Rigters' (soos in die Ou Testament gereflekteer). Na my mening het 'n holistiese benadering die potensiaal om 'n meer komprehensiewe beeld van die 'Rigtertyd' te verkry. 'n Vierledige ondersoek na die situasie van die Israelitiese stamme/clans word daarom aan die hand van die politieke konteks, die sosio-kulturele en ekonomiese situasie, die godsdienstig-ideologiese aspek en die literere dimensie gedoen. In die laaste hoofstuk is daar gepoog om die verskillende dimensies op mekaar te betrek. Opsommend kan gese word dat byna alle aktiwiteite gedurende hierdie periode ongestruktureerd en sonder orde was, dit wil se daar was anargie in die Beloofde Land. · Elkeen het gedoen wat reg was in sy eie oe' (Rgt 21 :25). / This dissertation deals with a holistic approach towards the history of the Israelite tribes/clans throughout the 'period of the Judges' (as referred to in the Old Testament). In my opinion, a holistic approach has the potential to offer a more comprehensive analysis of the 'period of the Judges'. A fourfold investigation into the situation of the Israelite tribes/clans is carried out involving the political context, the socio-cultural and economic situation, the religious-ideological aspect and the literary dimension. In the last chapter an attempt is made to integrate the different dimensions. To conclude, it can be said that nearly all phenomena in the tribal period was characterized by a lack of structure or order, in other words, there was anarchy in the Promised Land. 'Everyone did what was right in his own eyes' (Jdg 21 :25). / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Bybelkunde)

Globally, the justice system has set up courts to respond to complaints of a criminal and civil nature. Courts also respond to complaints which require swift relief by way of shortened procedures, in the form of motion proceedings. In all these complaints, courts have to respond in a manner that leaves litigants with a feeling of satisfaction that justice has been done. To the end of ensuring that there is legal certainty, justice systems in all jurisdictions have established a hierarchy of courts, with lower courts being bound by the decisions of higher courts in their jurisdiction. There has been no problem in the application of this principle called stare decisis, or judicial precedent, in disputes of law. However, in disputes of constitutional interpretation, courts have demonstrated a marked shift from observing the rule of judicial precedent. The disregard for this rule manifests itself particularly in the adjudication of cases surrounded by controversy. It is argued herein that constitutional interpretation is no different from legal interpretation, in that the rule of judicial precedent which characterises court decisions in legal disputes, should characterise court decisions in constitutional interpretation disputes. The Constitutional Court of South Africa itself, though it is the highest arbiter in constitutional matters, is bound by its own previous decisions, unless its previous decisions have become manifestly wrong. Three constitutional rights are analysed. The right to life in its three manifestations, namely, the right to life of the unborn child, the right to life of the convicted criminal not to be hanged, and the right of the terminally ill to continue living by receiving medical care at state expense. The other two rights are the right to privacy, and the right to culture. The right to privacy is the right that has been claimed in political controversies. In isolated instances, specifically mentioned herein, the Constitutional Assembly and the drafters of the Constitution have also contributed to the resultant inconsistency in constitutional interpretation. This is especially so with regard to the right to practise one‘s culture. / Constitutional, International & Indigenous Law / LL.D.

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die beginsel van die onafhanklikheid van die regbank word verskans in die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika van 1996. 'n Onafhanklike regbank is noodsaaklik ten einde te voldoen aan die primere funksie van die regbank, naamlik die bewerkstelliging van geregtigheid. Openbare vertroue in die onafhanklikheid van die regbank verhoog die legitimiteit van hierdie instelling, wat noodsaaklik is vir nakoming en eerbiediging van die howe se beslissings deur die gemeenskap. In die verlede het kritici beweer dat die regbank 'n legitimiteitskrisis beleef op grond daarvan dat polilieke oorwegings 'n rol gespeel het by die aanstelling van regsprekende amptenare, dat die regbank nie verteenwoordigend genoeg is van die bevolking wat betref ras en geslag nie en dat die howe in die verlede in sommige gevalle te owerheidsgesind was en soms diskriminerende wetgewing sonder veel skroom of teenspraak aanvaar en toegepas het. Kritici het daarop gewys dat die opbloei in die volkshowe as alternatief tot die formele howe, as voorbeeld dien van die algehele miskenning van en wantroue in die reg bank. 'n Kritiese evaluering van hierdie aangeleenthede is gedoen aan die hand van 'n regsvergelykende ondersoek. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die Regterlike Dienskommissie en die Landdrostekommissie 'n belangrike hervorming teweeg gebring het op die gebied van aanstelling van regterlike amptenare. Verder is bevind dat die juriestelsel nie 'n realistiese oplossing bied om die regbank meer verteenwoordigend van die gemeenskap te maak nie, maar dat die assessorestelsel blyk 'n meer praktiese en geskikte alternatief te wees. Dit het verder geblyk dat daar van regterlike beamptes verwag word om, in die lig van die Grondwet van 1996 en 'n stelsel van grondwetlike oppermagtigheid, 'n aktivistiese waarde-ge6rienteerde of waarde-aktiverende benadering by wets- en grondwetuitleg te volg. Daar is verder bevind dat die informele howe behoue moet bly, maar aangepas behoort te word by veranderende omstandighede, in die lig van die Grondwet en die handves van fundamentele regte. Ten slotte is voorstelle gemaak as moontlike oplossing vir bepaalde probleme wat geidentifiseer is. / The principle of the independence of the judiciary is entrenched in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. An independent judiciary is essential in order to fulfill the primary function of a judiciary, namely the realisation of justice. Public confidence in the independence of the judiciary increases the legitimacy of this institution, which is essential for respect for and compliance with the decisions of the court by the community. In the past critics maintained that the judiciary is experiencing a legitimacy crisis, due to the fact that political considerations have played a role in the appointment of judicial officials, that the judiciary is not representative of the community in respect of race and sex and that the courts have been too executive-minded in the past and have at times accepted and applied discriminatory legislation without much hesitation or contradiction. Critics alleged that the proliferation of people's courts as an alternative to the formal courts, was an indication of the general denial of and loss of confidence in the judiciary. A critical evaluation of these aspects was undertaken by way of a comparative study. It lead to the conclusion that the Judicial Service Commission and the Magistrates Commission brought about an important reform regarding the appointment of judicial officials. It was found that the jury system does not constitute a realistic solution to make the judiciary more representative of the community, but that the assessor system seems to be a more practical alternative. It became apparant that in view of the Constitution of 1996 and our system of constitutional supremacy, it is expected of judicial officals to follow an activistic value-orientated or value-activated approach during legislative and constitutional interpretation. It is furthermore concluded that the informal courts should be retained, but that they should be adapted to the changing circumstances in view of the Constitution and the bill of rights. Finally, suggestions are made in order to address certain problems which have been identified. / Criminal and Procedural Law / LL.D.

Text in Afrikaans / Die penologiese perspektief rakende die ontwikkeling/ doel en funksionering van leke-assessore is die onderwerp van hierdie verhandeling. Leke-deelname in die regsplegingstelsel kan terug­ gevoer word na 1657. Deur die latere oorname van Engelse regsbeginsels1 word die juriestelsel in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg geinkorporeer. Na die afskaffing van die juriestelsel in 1969 berus die beantwoording van sowel feite- as regsvrae slegs by die voorsittende beampte. Hierdie situasie is as onaan­ vaarbaar beskou en grater leke-deelname word bepleit. Dit is egter eers in 1991 dat die aanwending van leke-assessore in die Suid-Afrikaanse regstelsel 'n realiteit word. Een van die voorvereistes vir die aanstel van assessore is dat die aanstelling dienstig vir die regspleging moet wees. Die vraag waarmee penoloe en juriste worstel, is of die aanwending van assessore tans wel bevorderlik vir gesonde regspleging is. Uit empiriese navorsing het dit geblyk nie die geval te wees nie. Derhalwe word 'n opleidingsprogram vir assessore voorgestel / The subject of perspective on tioning of lay justice. this dissertation is a penological the development/ purpose and tunc­ assessors in the administration of The use of lay assessors can be traced back as far as 1657. As a result of the adoption of the British law principles/ the jury system was incorporated in South African law. After the abolition of the jury in 1969/ the answering of factual and judicial questions resides in the presiding officer. This situation was unacceptable and lay participation was advocated. The use of lay assessors became a reality in 1991. The prerequisite for the appointment of an assessor is that it should be expedient for the administration of justice. But are the use of lay assessors beneficial at this stage? From the empirical research it is evident that it is not beneficial at all and therefore the researcher recommends a training programme for lay assessors. / Penology / M.A. (Penologie)

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Disparity in sentencing felons based on racial considerations has long has been considered a problem for civil libertarians and scholars alike. Examining data gathered in Kentucky, this thesis addresses this issue through the application of recently developed methodological techniques. Utilizing an index of sentencing equality, this study shows that while differences do exist in black and white offender offense characteristics, these differences do not account for the variations in sentences rendered in cases of white as opposed to black felons. This exploratory research reviews and critiques previous research and provides evidence which should prove useful in resolving the problem of racial-based sentencing disparity.

This study analyzes the confirmation hearings discourse of Clarence Thomas and George Bush. Language constructs social reality. The United States has a history of racism and this history manifests itself in our language. The discourse of Clarence Thomas and George Bush created a social reality that equated opposition to Thomas' confirmation with racism using rhetorical strategies that included metaphor and narrative construction.

Dans la phase du recouvrement de l’impôt, le temps peut être soit exploité soit subi. Dans la première hypothèse, il profite au contribuable qui peut se libérer de son obligation fiscale du fait de l’écoulement du temps. Dans la seconde hypothèse, l’Administration court le risque de ne pas recouvrer l’impôt ; le contribuable celui de voir une atteinte portée à son patrimoine. Mais face à ces risques respectifs, le contribuable et l’Administration ne bénéficient pas à un même degré de l’attention du législateur. Les garanties reconnues au contribuable par le Livre des procédures fiscales, ont été au fil du temps vidées de leur substance. Face à cette fragilisation du contribuable et eu égard au laxisme du législateur, les juges judiciaire et administratif ont élaboré chacun un système visant à améliorer sa protection. Toutefois, l’intervention du juge dans le contentieux du recouvrement de la dette fiscale, aussi salutaire soit-elle, ne peut à elle seule suffire à réconcilier les contribuables avec l’impôt. Aussi, dans la recherche des conditions d’une consolidation et d’une amélioration continue de l’adhésion à l’impôt, les pouvoirs publics gagneraient à améliorer la situation du contribuable dans la phase de recouvrement. / Regarding tax collection, timing can be either an opportunity or a constraint depending on the case. In the first case, it provides benefits to the taxpayer. In the second case, there is a risk for French Authorities of not collecting tax in due course, and then taxpayer patrimony is also at risk. However Tax Authorities and taxpayer are not in the same position from lawmaker standpoint. Indeed, legal guaranties benefiting normally to taxpayer according to the French Tax Procedure Book were vanished over the time. In this context judges have created protection mechanisms but their various decisions, as strong as they could be for taxpayers, are not enough to reinforce their consent with tax. Therefore French Authorities need to improve taxpayers’ legal guarantees during the tax collection process in order to obtain their consent with tax.

The Share of the Civil Element in the Criminal Decision-Making Procedure Key words: civil element, Comission for Conditional Release (parole), Ministry of Justice, probation and mediation service, assessors, associate judges, criminal proceedings This paper examines the share of the civil element in the criminal decision-making procedure. The aim is to introduce and analyze the institute that has been introduced in the Czech judiciary in the mid-19th -century - the associate judge, as well as the new institute, under which civil representatives can assess applications for release on probation. It further focuses on the Ministry of Justice's intention to introduce the Parole Board, which could single handedly decide about probation in the future. The paper is divided into three chapters. The first chapter offers a historical exposé of the institute of the associate judge, devoting particular attention to the reasons which led the legislative authority to implement this civil element. The second chapter discusses the current status quo, the system, and the benefits of associate judges. Accent is placed on the legislative enactment of the share of the civil element in the criminal decision- making procedure and then on the merits and importance of their judicial participation in criminal matters. The...

Il n'existe pas de principe général de proportionnalité en droit américain. Un contrôle est néanmoins présent dans la jurisprudence de la Cour suprême, bien qu'il ne soit pas toujours reconnu comme tel. Au vu des techniques utilisées à cette fin, une partie de la doctrine évoque une expérience exceptionnelle tandis qu'une autre relativise ce point de vue dans le domaine de la limitation des droits. La décision US c Carolene products de 1938 marque la fin d'une période d'interventionnisme judiciaire et constitue le point de départ de cette étude. Sous l'ère Lochner, l'invalidation quasi automatique des lois restreignant les libertés économiques valut à la Cour le qualificatif de « Gouvernement des juges ». Afin d'asseoir sa légitimité, elle élabora la doctrine des « degrés du contrôle » selon laquelle le standard de justification des atteintes dépend de la nature du droit restreint. Son travail est depuis lors rationalisé par la « contrainte substantielle » des droits fondamentaux qui participa à l'émergence d'une nouvelle théorie du contrôle de constitutionnalité. On peut observer que plusieurs juridictions s'autolimitent d'une façon comparable à leur homologue américain, à travers l'analyse des techniques du contrôle de proportionnalité. En particulier la Cour suprême du Canada, la Cour constitutionnelle sud-africaine et la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme, bien que chacune d'entre elles présente des spécificités en ce domaine. Les deux grands modes de « mise en balance » permettent alors de souligner les convergences et les divergences entre les systèmes / There is no general proportionality principle in the United States but, if not always recognized, the review appears in the Supreme Court's case law. For most part of the legal community its techniques reveal american exceptionalism. Other ones say this remark deserves some qualification in view of right's limitation. This study historically begin with the US v Carolene products case ending a period by which the Court invalidated most statutes restricting economic liberties. Thus, the Lochner Era was called « Government by the judiciary ». By the « levels of review » doctrine she found a way to prove her legitimacy, making the standard of justification depends on the nature of the right limited. This « substantial fundamental rights'constraint » rationalized her work and contributed towards a new theory of judicial review. However many jurisdictions share the same self-restraint as their american neighboor. With regard to the techniques of proportionality review, the canadian Supreme Court, the south african Constitutional Court and the European Court present several common characteristics in spite of their specific experience. Two modes of « balancing » highlight convergence and difference between those four legal systems. Stare decisis especially conditions methodological and normative coherence in the United states, having an influence on the fundamental right's constraint. It curbs differently the judicial expanding power of interpretation. According to a comparative perspective the american particularism should be revealed by their definition and their effect on a differentiated right's guarantee