Thesis (LLD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Trade marks are among the most valuable commodities of the modern business world. Adequate protection for trade marks to prevent the misappropriation of their incredible marketing power is therefore important. The aim of this dissertation is to make recommendations regarding the further development of existing South African law regarding the protection of registered trade marks against dilution, particularly by the courts. Current statutory protection is examined and compared with trade-mark law in the United States and the European Union. Although the concept of dilution originated in Germany, most of its development took place in the United States, starting in 1927 with an article by Frank Schechter. Dilution occurs when the awareness that a specific mark signifies a single product from a single source changes to an unmistakable awareness that the same mark signifies various things from various sources. The primary theories as to how dilution occurs are blurring and tarnishment. Although the dilution concept is widely recognised, there is still a debate amongst legal scholars on whether trade marks deserve protection against dilution. The extent of protection that the law gives to trade marks largely depends on the socioeconomic functions that a trade mark is perceived to fulfil. The original source or origin function is protected by the traditional infringement provisions. The identification or distinguishing function, quality function and advertising function subsequently gained recognition. The advertising function is statutorily recognised in various jurisdictions, which prevents trade-mark dilution. Statutory recognition of dilution in the United States first occurred in State law from 1947 onwards. Protection is generally given to distinctive or strong trade marks where a similar mark is used on dissimilar goods in the absence of confusion in such a way that there is a likelihood that the reputation of the senior mark will be injured. The parameters of the concept were developed and refined mainly through case law. Federal protection against dilution was only introduced in 1995. The new Act, although widely welcomed, also brought some unpredictability and interpretation problems. The first statutory dilution protection for trade marks in Europe is found in the Uniform Benelux Trade Marks Act. In 1989 the European Union adopted the Trademark Directive, with the aim of harmonising the legal protection afforded to trade marks. Its "dilution" provisions were incorporated into the United Kingdom's Trade Marks Act of 1994. The sometimes conflicting interpretations of these provisions by the English courts and the Court of Justice of the European Communities are discussed. The South African Act shows a substantial degree of harmony with legislation in the United Kingdom and other European countries. Aspects of the wording of the dilution provisions are however open to interpretation by the courts. Until the end of 2003 there was only one major trade-mark dilution case decided by a South African court, namely SAR v Laugh It OjJPromotions, which is discussed in detail. The dissertation concludes with recommendations to aid South African courts in the future interpretation and application of the dilution provisions. Amendments to the legislation are also proposed to promote greater clarity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Handelsmerke is van die waardevolste kommoditeite van die moderne besigheidswêreld. Voldoende beskerming om die uitbuiting van handelsmerke se ongelooflike bemarkingskrag te verhoed, is daarom belangrik. Die oogmerk van die proefskrif is om aanbevelings te maak vir die verdure ontwikkeling van bestaande Suid-Afrikaanse reg oor die beskerming van geregistreerde handelsmerke teen verwatering, veral deur die howe. Die bestaande statutêre beskerming word ondersoek en vergelyk met die reg op handelsmerke in the Verenigde State en die Europese Unie. Alhoewel die verwateringskonsep sy oorsprong in Duitsland het, is die konsep hoofsaaklik in die Verenigde State ontwikkel, beginnende in 1927 met 'n artikel deur Frank Schechter. Verwatering vind plaas wanneer die bewustheid dat 'n spesifieke merk 'n enkele produk vanuit 'n enkele bron aandui verander na 'n onmiskenbare bewustheid dat dieselfde merk verskillende dinge vanuit verskillende bronne aandui. Die primêre verskyningsvorme van verwatering is vertroebeling en besoedeling. Alhoewel die verwateringskonsep wye erkenning geniet, is daar steeds 'n debat onder regsgeleerdes oor die verdienstelikheid van die beskerming teen verwatering. Die mate van beskerming wat die reg aan handelsmerke verleen, hang grootliks af van wat gesien word as die sosio-ekonomiese funksies van 'n handelsmerk. Die aanvanklike oorsprongsfunksie word beskerm deur die tradisionele bepalings rakende inbreukmaking. Die identifiserings- of onderskeidingsfunksie, die kwaliteitsfunksie en die reklamefunksie het later erkenning gekry. Die reklamefunksie word in verskillende jursidiksies statutêr erken, wat die verwatering van handelsmerke verhoed. In die Verenigde State het die eerste statutêre erkenning vir verwatering sedert 1947 in die wetgewing van State plaasgevind. Beskerming is normaalweg gegee aan sterk handelsmerke of handelsmerke wat kan onderskei in gevalle waar 'n soortgelyke merk gebruik is op ongelyksoortige goedere in die afwesigheid van verwarring op so 'n wyse dat die waarskynlikheid bestaan dat die reputasie van die senior merk aangetas kan word. Die maatstawwe van die konsep is hoofsaaklik ontwikkel en verfyn in hofsake. Federale beskerming teen verwatering is eers in 1995 ingestel. Alhoewel dié nuwe wetgewing wyd verwelkom is, het dit ook onvoorspelbaarheid en interpretasieproblerne voortgebring. Die "Uniform Benelux Trade Marks Act" het die eerste statutêre beskerming teen die verwatering van handelsmerke in Europa gebied. Die "Trademark Directive" is in 1989 deur die Europese Unie aanvaar met die doelom die wetlike beskerming van handelsmerke the harmonieer. Die "verwaterings"bepalings is geïnkorporeer in die Verenigde Koninkryk se "Trade Marks Act" van 1994. Soms botsende interpretasies hiervan is deur die Engelse howe en die Geregshofvan die Europese Unie gegee. Die Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing toon 'n groot mate van ooreenstemming met wetgewing in the Verenigde Koninkryk en ander Europese lande. Aspekte van die bewoording van die verwateringsbepalings is oop vir interpretasie deur die howe. Tot en met die einde van 2003 was daar slegs een belangrike saak oor handelsmerkverwatering wat deur 'n Suid-Afrikaanse hof beslis is, naamlik SAB v Laugh It Off Promotions. Dit word in detail bespreek. Aanbevelings om die Suid-Afrikaanse howe in die toekoms te help met die interpretasie en aanwending van die verwateringsbepalings, word in die finale hoofstuk gemaak. Veranderinge aan die wetgewing word ook voorgestel, om groter duidelikheid te bereik.

Export-oriented illegal logging has been recognized as a major global problem in environmental, social, and economic terms. It has been argued that export-oriented illegal logging does not benefit the community or government that should be benefited by its own natural resources. The emergence of policy initiatives targeting illegal logging could have the potential to increase the competitiveness of legally sourced timber products by removing illegal products from the market of the consuming country. The US Lacey Act amendments of 2008 set a precedent for the global trade in plants and plant products by putting in place incentives for US wood products importing companies to demand legally sourced and traded wood. This research addresses how the 2008 Lacey Act amendments have impacted the US wood industry, and how those affected by the amendments view the future of environmental policy and global illegal logging as impacted by the amendments. The majority of respondents in this study agree that steps should be taken to decrease global illegal logging, but some aren't convinced that the Lacey Act amendments will ultimately have the desired effect. According to this research, most US wood importers have made small changes to their operational practices. This study indicates the possibility that though US wood importers feel the responsibility to ensure their companies are compliant with legislation, they are not sure the 2008 Lacey Act amendments will ultimately hinder global illegal logging. Included in this study are also suggestions from US wood importers regarding policy implementation. These suggestions include an increase in communication between the US government and US wood products companies, an increase in future research, and the possibility of focusing the Lacey Act on certain high-risk regions. / Graduation date: 2012

This dissertation examines the impact of the 1992 Georgia Tort Claims Act on educators in court decisions involving liability cases against Georgia school districts and/ or their respective employees. By examining pertinent court cases in which Georgia educators were, for the first time, subjected to potential litigation, the researcher outlines circumstances in which educators can and should be held liable for their actions. Additionally, the researcher analyzes the Tort Claims Acts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi as well. This analysis allows the researcher to contrast the types of litigious actions that educators in each of these states are held liable. Findings include the types of actions in which educators in each of the respective states are subject to liability. Case study analysis of randomly selected court cases involving tort liability, provides the infrastructure for in-depth research allowing the following questions to be addressed: (1) How have Georgia courts interpreted the Georgia Tort Claims Act in litigation against school personnel and school districts? (2) How do tort liability rulings, involving school personnel or districts, in other states within the United States compare with similar cases filed in Georgia since 1992? The Georgia Tort Claim Act of 1992 propelled an array of circumstances in which educational entities would be held liable for their actions. This research clearly explains the types of actions in which educators in the state of Georgia are subject to suit and to what degree they are subsequently held liable. Case study research also uncovered specific areas in which Georgia educators can be held liable. Specific research involving actions deemed either ministerial or discretionary are detailed specifically through case analysis. Additionally, the degree to which liability insurance provides protection for educational entities or their respective employees is also addressed in this research in order that state-by-state comparisons can be understood.

The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the effect of U.S. firms’ geographic location, whether urban or rural, on their corporate disclosure and governance practices. An “urban” firm is one that is headquartered in a large metropolitan area; whereas, a “rural” firm is one that is headquartered some distance from any metropolitan area. Specifically, the study examines whether there are different stock market reactions to urban and rural firms around key event dates relative to the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) on July 30, 2002. Also, the readability and linguistic style in the Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) section of public company’s annual reports (Form 10-K) to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are investigated to determine whether urban and rural firms communicate information differently to investors.

LL.M. (Labour Law) / A university is a community of adults in which close personal relationships between adults can develop. These institutions of higher learning recognise the need for policies prohibiting sexual harassment but few have addressed the subtle issues surrounding consensual and special amorous relationships between academic staff members and students and whether they have the right to regulate private behaviour between adults. The aim of this minor dissertation is to explore the issue of the university having a responsibility to ensure that it maintains an environment for study free from sexual harassment. The question lies in whether the university policies should prohibit not only sexual harassment but also consensual sexual engagement and special relationships between academic staff and students, taking into account the development of the legal theory of sexual harassment as a violation of the fundamental rights of workers and the emergence of employment law both in the United States of America (USA) and South Africa. The issues herein will be the debate against stricter prohibitions on relationships with the argument of engaging the rights of students to enter into relationships that are not prohibited by law, the question of freedom of association and privacy and the enforcement and implementation of such policies. It will become clear that the law of employment discrimination stands in sharp contrast to the understanding of academic freedom and these parameters may well be lost in translation when entering the academic world. This then raises the argument about whether any consent was real and voluntarily bestowed, with factors such as power, undue influence, fear and favour playing major roles.

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This Thesis deals with the national legal aspects of a particular space application: remote sensing by satellites, also referred to as earth observation systems. / Governments have been the leading providers and users of satellite imagery data since the advent of earth observation satellites (i.e. almost 40 years ago). However, this has changed, particularly in the United States, with several private companies having acquired and launched their own imaging satellite systems. This new trend towards commercialization and privatization of the remote sensing industry, which appeared firstly in the United States and which is now being extended to Canada, required a change in policy. The role played by the government policies and regulations in shaping the prospects for the emerging commercial remote sensing satellite firms is of critical importance. In this context, these policies and regulations will determine the conditions that will enable commercial firms to realize their competitive potential in both the domestic and international marketplace. / In this Thesis, a brief overview of the technical and historical legal backgrounds of remote sensing is provided. Then, the international legal framework of remote sensing is briefly analyzed. Finally, a thorough analysis of the policies, laws and regulations applicable within the United States and Canada is presented.

In this thesis, the author studies the ethical and legal aspects of research conducted on stored tissue samples of deceased persons in North America. / The first part of this thesis presents an overview of what constitutes human tissues and how are they used in research. The author describes the process in which human tissues are acquired and stored by health facilities, their utility for scientific research, and currently used techniques. / The second part is dedicated to the analysis of the current normative framework associated with research involving human tissue samples in North America. The author underlines the presence of two different normative regimes depending on whether the human tissues were removed before or after death. Finally, the author examines international documents in order to evaluate whether or not they can provide guidance to North American national legislation. / The third part evaluates the normative limitations associated with the use of stored tissue samples of deceased persons for research. The author considers that these limitations are related to the presence of conflicting interests, the difficulties in establishing rights over human tissues, the difficulties of establishing the rights of the dead, and the limitations of the theory of informed consent with regards to stored tissue samples. / The last part of this thesis suggests that stored human tissues should be interpreted as if they were part of an individual's medical record. After presenting some of the philosophical arguments in favour of such an interpretation, the author underlines the presence of legal precedents supporting the "tissue as information" model. The author finally examines the legal implications and the potential limitations of this proposal.