Political scientists have conducted much work examining a court's decision on the merits of a case. We have concluded that ideology has a strong influence on the outcome on the merits of a decision. Furthermore, courts seek to render a decision that is closest to their own policy preferences. However, federal circuit courts within the judicial hierarchy are constrained by other actors according to the strategic model. There is an abundance of evidence showing that superior actors constrain courts' ideological preferences when such courts render decisions on the merits. However, there is a dearth of scholarship regarding judicial decision making on threshold issues. I argue that federal circuit courts set their judicial agendas by transforming their mandatory appellate jurisdiction into one that is discretionary. They achieve this goal by controlling the type of litigants who gain access to the courts by deciding cases on threshold grounds. I also argue that federal circuit courts are responsive to changes in Congress's ideology because Congress has power to control threshold issues through various mechanisms. I seek to establish that the grounds upon which as case is dismissed -- jurisdictional, justiciable, and procedural -- defines the parameters that constrain federal circuit courts.

This article analyzes the content of the judgment Elgo Rios, to see if really that judgment represents a change of direction before the criteria handled by the Constitutional Court. This will explain the implications of procedural rules implemented for the recruitment in the private system over the previous precedent governing the origin of labor protection, that is, the judgment on the record 206-2005-PA, the precedent Baylon. / El presente artículo tiene como objetivo analizar el contenido de la sentencia Elgo Ríos, para verificar si realmente dicha sentencia representa un cambio de dirección a los criterios antes manejados por el Tribunal Constitucional. Así se explicará las implicancias de las reglas procesales implementadas para el caso de la contratación en el régimen privado con respecto del anterior precedente que regía la procedencia del amparo laboral. Esto es, la sentencia recaída en el expediente 206-2005-PA, el precedente Baylón.

This dissertation considers the possible impact of certain requirements of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (hereafter “NCA”) on ordinary civil procedural rules relating specifically to debt enforcement procedures. It further identifies problem areas created by some of the provisions of the NCA in this regard, and ultimately proposes potential solutions thereto. However, as indicated in various sections of the dissertation, it is not always clear what the legislature had in mind with certain provisions. This uncertainty calls for interpretation, which gives rise to further confusion in certain instances. In view of the aims of the NCA as stated in section 3 thereof, as well as various procedural provisions discussed in this dissertation, it is clear that the NCA mainly has the protection of the consumer at heart when devising procedures relating to, or ancillary to debt enforcement procedures utilised by credit providers to collect outstanding debt sounding in money. Since the NCA must operate within an existing legal system and procedural regime where certain terms have become entrenched, a broad background on some legal concepts and relevant civil procedures are provided where after the impact of the NCA thereon is considered and analysed. As the NCA will only affect general civil procedure where a credit provider attempts to enforce obligations to which the NCA applies, the exact application of the NCA and the general enforcement procedures contained therein are determined. Against this background the impact of specific procedures prescribed by the NCA on existing rules of civil procedure are critically analysed. This dissertation illustrates that although the NCA improves the position of the consumer in many ways, also with regard to debt enforcement procedures, the legislature should have drafted some provisions more carefully which would have resulted in some vital issues being clearer. Although practice and precedent will eventually even out many of the practical difficulties currently experienced it will take time and money to do so. It is therefore submitted that some areas should be reconsidered for amendment by the legislature in order to allow this significant piece of legislation to operate smoothly. Ultimately, two sets of conclusions are drawn together in this dissertation. Firstly, the general conclusions relating to the impact of the NCA on general civil debt enforcement procedures are stipulated and, secondly, specific areas that should be reconsidered by the legislature in order to allow the NCA to function optimally are identified. Copyright / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Procedural Law / unrestricted

La présente recherche porte sur l'analyse des voies de recours disponibles au niveau constitutionnel italien et français, en accordant une attention particulière à la voie incidente, élément commun aux deux pays ayant cependant des particularités constitutionnelles spécifiques dans chacun des ordre juridiques. Si, en droit italien, le contrôle incident constitue une voie de recours classique permettant une action au fond, il représente une nouveauté en droit français. Introduit en 2008, il se décline selon des règles procédurales diverses de celles présentes dans l'ordre constitutionnel italien. Pourquoi donc chercher à associer deux formes d'accès à la justice constitutionnelle? Si nous ouvrons le sujet, notons tout d'abord que ladite voie de recours représente un élément essentiel, primaire, du contrôle de constitutionnalité, à propos duquel la science juridique s'est beaucoup interrogée. En outre, un certain nombre d'arrêts récents en lien avec les voies de recours à la justice constitutionnelle, tant italienne que française, illustrent les nouvelles réflexions se faisant jour quant au potentiel et à la critique de la procédure par voie d'exception, soulignant à la fois les similarité des voies de recours des deux systèmes. Enfin, il est intéressant de s'interroger sur la possibilité de transmettre un modèle ou une règle même d'offrir des solutions efficaces, remédiant ainsi aux problèmes déjà rencontrés par l'un ou l'autre des systèmes juridiques. / The research focuses on the analysis of the access to the Italian and the French constitutional jurisdiction, with particular regard to the incidental model which is a communal and distinctive feature of both constitutional realities. ln the Italian law, the abovementioned model represents the classical structure of the judgment on laws, while in the French system the “question prioritaire de constitulionnalité” represents a novelty introduced in 2008 which is regulated by different procedural rules. ln particular, we believed that some recent events related to the Italian and French constitutional jurisdiction, allow some considerations on the potential and critical issues of the incidental proceeding. To make sure that the comparison is not limited to a theoretical study but has also a "practical" utility, we will analyze some of the areas that are hardly reachable by the model at hand, also trying to verify if, based on the results of already tested experiences of comparative law, we can "export" useful solutions.

La CIJ en tant qu’organe judiciaire principal des Nations Unies est amenée à connaître de ce type de différend spécifique. En effet, les litiges environnementaux emportent avec eux un certain degré de technicité et font appel à des notions scientifiques particulièrement complexes. La rencontre entre la protection de l’environnement et la CIJ ne pouvait alors que donner lieu à un contentieux particulièrement riche. L’appréhension de ce contentieux par la Cour conduit à s’interroger sur la manière dont cette dernière réceptionne ces litiges. La présente thèse s’intéresse donc aux effets et conséquences résultant du contentieux de l’environnement devant la CIJ. Deux remarques peuvent être formulées : la première concerne le constat d’une intégration progressive des enjeux environnementaux au sein du contentieux international de la CIJ, et la deuxième concerne l’opportunité pour la Cour d’adapter ses règles procédurales. Une adaptation des règles procédurales de la CIJ serait souhaitable. En effet, les enjeux environnementaux tendent à s’intégrer de plus en plus au sein du contentieux international de la CIJ qui contribue de ce fait au développement des règles de droit international de l’environnement. Toutefois, une telle intégration révèle également les limites de la Cour. La Cour pourrait endosser le rôle de juge environnemental, en prenant en considération les spécificités de ce contentieux, notamment par l’adaptation de ses outils procéduraux. Ainsi, c’est une dynamique réciproque qui s’installe entre la Cour et la protection de l’environnement. La préservation de l’environnement est enrichie par la Cour, mais cette dernière pourrait également voir son rôle évoluer grâce à la prise en considération des enjeux environnementaux. La CIJ pourrait alors devenir un véritable juge international de l’environnement dont la communauté internationale manque encore. / The ICJ as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations comes to know of this type of specific dispute. In fact, environmental disputes carry with them a certain degree of technicality and call upon particularly complex scientific notions. The meeting between the protection of the environment and the ICJ could then only give rise to a particularly rich litigation. The Court's apprehension of this kind of litigation raises the question of how the Court deals with these disputes. The present thesis is therefore concerned with the effects and consequences resulting from the environmental litigation before the ICJ.This leads us to two remarks: the first one concerns the phenomenon by which environmental stakes are integrated within international litigation, and, the second one concerns the opportunity for the court to adapt its procedural rules to deal with environmental issues. Indeed, environmental issues tend to be more and more integrated into the international litigation of the ICJ, which contributes to the development of the rules of international environmental law. However, such integration also reveals the limits of the Court. However, the Court could take on the role of an environmental judge, by adapting its procedural tools to the specificities of this particular litigation. Thus, it is a reciprocal dynamic that takes place between the Court and the protection of the environment. The preservation of the environment is enriched by the Court, but the Court could also see its role evolve through the consideration of environmental issues. The ICJ could then become a genuine international environmental judge whose international community is still lacking.

Cette thèse vient proposer une notion d’action de groupe processuelle. Cette notion est dégagée suivant la méthode comparative. L’action de groupe est censée résoudre différents types de litiges qui mettent en cause un nombre élevé de personnes. L’étude de droit comparé montre en ce sens une notion qui semble plurielle puisqu’il existe différents modèles d’action de groupe. La manière de la concevoir diffère d’un modèle à autre. La terminologie relative à ce sujet est surabondante, souvent considérée en tant que synonyme de l’action collective, du recours collectif, des actions de classe, des procédures modèles, des jugements pilotes... En dépit de cela, il est possible de trouver une notion spécifique, ayant des caractères propres et typiques. Mais cette notion spécifique ne peut être que processuelle. Le procès est un outil de protection des droits et des intérêts juridiques et légitimes, sans importer leur nature. Il est logique que la résolution de ce type de litiges soit envisagée depuis cette perspective. De plus, c’est au niveau procédural que la protection de ce type de situations pose autant de problèmes. L’action de groupe vient alors s’inscrire naturellement dans cette discipline juridique, dévoilant une notion spécifique qui place le juge au cœur de la résolution de ce type de litiges. / The aim of this thesis is to offer a specific notion of the idea of group litigation, in a procedural and comparative perspective. The mass consumer society in which we live has generated a style of litigation that involves a vast number of people. Grouping claimants together in a class action is meant to resolve this sort of litigation. But comparative law illustrates the complexity of the topic. A large number of different models of class action exist. Terminology is vast and often spans interchangeably terms such as group litigation, collective actions, class action, procedural models and pilot decisions. Each model shows different ways to solve the same problem. In spite of this, we can still find a specific framework with distinct and typical characteristics. However, this specific notion can only be procedurally based. Clearly, resolving this type of litigation must be viewed from this perspective. Judicial process is the way by which to protect rights and legal and legitimate interests without considering their nature. But it is at procedural level that protecting this type of situation raises the most problems. Class actions therefore naturally fall within this legal discipline, and bring to light a specific idea that makes the judge the linchpin when deciding the outcome of litigation.

Denna magisteruppsats i offentlig rätt är ämnad att behandla implementeringen av direktivet om betaltjänster på den inre marknaden i svensk rätt. Betaltjänstdirektivet är väsentlig vid inrättande av den inre marknaden inom EU:s medlemsstater, då alla inre gränser skall avlägsnas för att möjliggöra fri rörlighet för varor, personer, tjänster och kapital; i det sammanhanget blir det viktigt med en modern och konsekvent rättslig ram för betaltjänster på EU-nivå. Uppsatsen syftar till att undersöka implementeringen av de processuella och materiella bestämmelser i betaltjänstdirektivet som knyter an till principen om god förvaltning och därtill medlemsstaternas processuella och institutionella autonomi. Till de frågor som analyseras hör tolkning av begreppet god förvaltning och hur de utvalda principerna kan identifieras i svensk rätt genom implementeringen av direktivet. God förvaltning i denna uppsats förstås i vid mening som ett begrepp motsvarande vad enskilda har rätt att förvänta sig av det berörda förvaltningsorganet vid handläggning av ett enskilt ärende. Uppsatsen har visat att direktivet innehåller ett flertal bestämmelser som knyter an till principen om god förvaltning och som reglerar hur svenska myndigheter skall handlägga ärenden inom direktivets tillämpningsområde. Uppsatsen har också kunnat påvisa en tydlig påverkan på Sveriges processuella och institutionella autonomi.

Disposal with an Investment Claim JUDr. Filip Černý International investment protection is very special legal discipline which stands at the borderline between public and private, international and national (domestic) law. The intersections between these legal areas produce a vast range of questions on the applicable law and the nature of the legal institutes inherent to investment protection. The legal system of investment protection is founded on a matrix consisting of bilateral and multilateral treaties and simultaneously shares some of the customary origins inherent to diplomatic protection of foreigners. The particularity of the investment protection system is given by the existence of the diagonal relations between the host state and the investor of the other state. The combination of the public international law sources and the diagonal relations developing inside the public international law matrix induce questions on the nature of such rights and obligations arising inside of the investment protection system among its actors. Author analyses these relations with an aim to determine the nature of the investment claim as a prerequisite for a volitional disposal of the investment claim by the investor.