A lay adjudication system that has been the subject of international and domestic reforms democratising criminal justice procedures often reveals a challenging balance amongst the intertwined principles of criminal procedures. In addition, the various stages of lay adjudication procedures, such as its introduction, practice, development, and abolition, have been influenced by political and societal force. Lay adjudicator participation may be an important mechanism for introducing and sustaining the concept of democracy in criminal trial procedures. Whilst the establishment of well-balanced links between international fundamental human rights principles, efficiency and popular justice are significant features in judicial reforms internationally and domestically, the introduction of a lay adjudication procedure can be an appealing addition to judicial reform. A fundamental concern is whether it represents a successful mechanism for democratising criminal procedures. This thesis addresses the issue by examining the 'Saiban-in no Sankasuru Keijisaiban ni kansuru Horitsu', promulgated in 2009, as a result of the 1999 judicial reform in Japan. It does this by firstly setting out evaluative criteria developed through an examination of theoretical perspectives of lay adjudication. It then applies these criteria using quantitative data derived from the Japanese Supreme Court and qualitative data from interviews with former citizen judges and legal professionals who have experience of citizen judge trials. It argues that the introduction and practice of the citizen judge system has been successful. Both procedural and practice tests of the citizen judge system have shown the extent to which citizen judge participation has been accepted and has achieved its targets. The representative and engaging format of the citizen judge system has led to satisfaction and confidence in their duties as citizen judges. However, powerful controls by legal professionals have remained in place throughout the four stages of the citizen judge procedures - the pre-trial arrangement conference process, the selection process of citizen judges, the decision-making process, and the post-trial phrase. Moreover, the controls have supported citizen judges' participation but, at the same time, they could be a direct and indirect impediment to the democratic functions of citizen judges.

Theoretical and Legal Analysis of Lay Element in Judiciary Abstract This work is dealing with the lay element in judiciary. The main emphasis in laid on the institute of lay judges in the Czech legal order. The main goal of the work is to answer the questions whether the lay element in judiciary is still a democratizing component, further if there are fulfilled enough the constitutional conditions of an independent, impartial and statutory judge principle in case of lay judges, whether the democratic or the expert legitimacy may prevail and at last, if the lay element should be preserved in the Czech legal order. In the first chapter, there is described a historical development of the lay element in judiciary. In modern times, it has appeared firstly in the form of jury courts in the Czech lands, more precisely in the Austrian monarchy, after the revolutionary year 1848. Its functioning is illustrated on two famous cases, which were the process with K. H. Borovský and with Leopold Hilsner. On the one hand, these cases show the advantage of participation of lay people into judiciary, as it can serve as correction of the state's despotism. On the other hand, there should come to wrong decisions in the consequence of an easy suggestibility of the public. At the age of the so called First Czechoslovak Republic,...

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Leipzig, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 1067-1078) and index.

In May of 2009, Japan began formal operations of the saiban-in seido or lay judge system, a quasi-jury means of criminal trial adjudication that represents the first occasion since 1943 that average Japanese citizens will be required to fulfill a role in the criminal jurisprudential process. While the lay judge system promises to affect the methods and procedures of criminal trials in Japan, recent scholarship in the United States has raised an interesting question: to what degree can the lay participatory adjudication process facilitate greater levels of civic engagement in past citizen jurists once their service has completed? It is with this question in mind that the Japanese lay judge system is examined. In this work I first analyze how the Japanese judicial system fits within the global context, measuring it against the adversarial and inquisitorial archetypes that are followed by other liberal democracies. I then look to describe how lay adjudication is handled elsewhere around the world, finding that two major systems are employed - the Anglo-American jury and the European mixed-tribunal - with the Japanese lay judge system bearing great resemblance towards the latter. In investigating the origins of the lay judge system, and the changes this new method brings to Japanese criminal jurisprudence, I seek to detail the goals of this recent reform and the opportunities the lay judge system has to realize those aims. Finally, I look to how lay participation in the courtroom can inspire individuals to be more civically active once their service at trial is finished. In this pursuit, I look to relevant theoretical literature that describes how deliberative participation can spur further participation in civil society, as well as recent research in the United States that document linkages between jury service and an individual`s later inclination to be more civically engaged. With this evidence in hand, I return the focus to Japan and the lay judge system and ask what results can be expected under this new system. As sufficient data is not readily available to make definitive declarations as to the civic engagement-enhancing potential of the lay judge system - due to the relative newness of the institution - this thesis instead offers theories and hypotheses that may prove fruitful to later investigations on this very question. Moreover, I examine opinions prevalent in the current literature that would question the ability of the lay judge system to invigorate the civic engagement-tendencies of past lay jurists and analyze their veracity. In this manner, I seek to provide future research in this area with a more stable footing to proceed.

Les juges non professionnels ne se résument pas à un concept dont l’unité est relative, ils forment également une catégorie de fait. Ils sont des tiers non-magistrats, rattachés directement ou indirectement à une juridiction, dotés d’une mission juridictionnelle non professionnelle parce qu’inhabituelle et dépourvue d’un objectif de rémunération. Cette définition préalablement posée ne permet cependant pas de postuler l’existence d’une catégorie juridique. La catégorisation suppose en effet de rechercher la commune nature des objets d’étude. La réussite de l’entreprise dépend par conséquent de la découverte d’une unité certaine entre les juges non professionnels et d’une opposition marquée vis-à-vis des juges de carrière. C’est précisément le propre d’une théorie générale du procès dédiée aux juges non professionnels que de répondre à ces questions. Quelles sont les particularités institutionnelles et procédurales des juges non professionnels ? Suffisent-elles pour conclure à l’existence d’une catégorie juridique ? Les juges non professionnels ne s’inscrivent-ils pas dans la lignée des juges professionnels formant ainsi une simple variante au sein d’une catégorie juridique plus large, celle des juges ? La recherche est scindée en deux temps, ordonnée autour d’une distinction fondamentale. Le premier volet d’ordre institutionnel est l’occasion d’étudier les rapports entre le droit au procès et les juges non professionnels, le second volet d’ordre procédural permet d’analyser les relations des juges non professionnels avec le droit du procès / Lay judges cannot be reduced to a single concept as the unity of this concept is relative. The definition of lay judges gather different features. They are non-magistrates third party directly or indirectly attached to a court with a jurisdictional function. Their task is unusual and they lack of compensation goals. This definition previously stated does not yet allow to postulate a legal category. The categorisation itself would imply the search of common grounds between the objects of study. The success of the project depends on the findings of unity between the lay judges themselves and on significant difference compared to the professional judges. The main function of a general theory of the trial dedicated to lay judges is to answer these following questions. What are the institutional and procedural features of lay judges? Are they sufficient to conclude that there is a legal category? Would the lay judges fit in the line of professional judges forming a simple variant in a broader legal category? The research will be divided into two stages, both organised around a fundamental distinction. The first part, of institutional order, will be an opportunity to study the relationship between the right to trial and the lay judges. The second part, of procedural order, will analyse the relationship of lay judges with a right for trial

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)

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)