O estudo em comento tem por objetivo analisar se o instituto jurídico dos punitive damages, oriundo da Common Law, tem aplicabilidade no ordenamento jurídico nacional, particularmente no âmbito das relações de consumo. Para tanto, a presente obra, além de apresentar um panorama histórico da responsabilidade civil punitiva, expõe como tal responsabilidade vem sendo aceita no Brasil e conclui como sendo dois os seus principais instrumentos de atuação: a indenização punitiva e os punitive damages. Diferenciando-os, entendemos que os punitive damages eram os mais adequados a atual sociedade de consumo brasileira, por constituir-se um valor fixado em separado, com o intuito específico de punir e avaliado conforme a complexidade do caso pelo magistrado, conferindo dinamismo e eficiência às punições. Nesse sentido, propusemos os critérios que em nosso sentir seriam os mais adequados para a aplicação dos punitive damages e a fixação do quantum punitivo no âmbito das relações de consumo, bem como os fatores que justificam a aplicação do referido instituto jurídico nestas relações. Apresentamos, ademais, uma análise da aplicabilidade dos punitive damages nos ordenamentos jurídicos de Common e Civil Law que mais influenciam o ordenamento jurídico nacional. / This study aims to examine whether the legal institution of punitive damages, coming from the Common Law, is applicable in national law, particularly in the context of consumer relations. This essay, besides presenting historical overview of punitive liability, explains how this responsibility is being accepted in Brazil and concludes that there are two main instruments of action. The first instrument is based on the increase of the compensatory damages to punish the defendant. The other one is the punitive damages. We believe that punitive damages were more suitable to the current consumer society in Brazil, because it represents a value that is set apart, with the purpose of punishing and evaluated according to the complexity of the case by the magistrate, giving dynamism and efficiency to the punishment. In this sense, we proposed rules that in our opinion would be most suitable for the application of punitive damages and setting of the punitive quantum under products liability, as well as factors warranting the application of this legal institution in these relationships. We present, moreover, analysis of the applicability of punitive damages in the legal systems of Common and Civil Law that most influence Brazilian Law.

Le quasi-contrat est consacré comme une source autonome d’obligation dans le code civil. Pourtant, l’unité de la notion est problématique. En effet, la loi définit le quasi-contrat comme un fait volontaire dont il résulte un engagement alors que la doctrine le présente comme une notion à mi-chemin entre le contrat et la responsabilité civile extra-contractuelle en raison de l’application du régime contractuel en dehors d’un accord de volontés des parties. Or, en pratique, hormis la gestion d’affaires qui obéit au régime du mandat sans pouvoir exprès, l’enrichissement sans cause, (désormais enrichissement injustifié) et la répétition de l’indu n’obéissent pas à un régime contractuel. Si la doctrine a tenté de proposer le critère du transfert de valeurs dépourvu de cause pour justifier l’unité de la notion, ce critère se trouve mis à mal par la jurisprudence sur les loteries publicitaires. La thèse tente ainsi de rechercher une nouvelle unité, recherche qui s’avère difficile, voire impossible, dans la mesure où chaque quasi-contrat répond à des règles tantôt propres au contrat, tantôt propres à la responsabilité civile extra-contractuelle, ce qui vient alors fausser l’autonomie du quasi-contrat / Quasi-contracts are set as an autonomous part of the civil code, yet the notion answers to no unity. Law defines the notion as a voluntary fact leading to bind its author but scholars are considering quasi-contracts to be halfway between contract law and tort law due to the lack of will leading nevertheless to binding obligations. Practice shows that, except for the business management based on a mandate without any express will, the other quasi-contracts, unjust enrichment and repetition of undue do not follow any contractual regime. Scholars have attempted to propose the transfer of value for explaining the unity of the notion but this criterion is no longer relevant since cases creating a new quasi-contracts: lotteries. This work aims to discover a new criterion to find back unity of quasi-contracts. Impossible task as each quasi-contract shares common aspects of contract law and of tort law

This research develops eight recommendations for amendments to key Ontario legislation affecting Brownfield redevelopment that, if implemented, will reduce the liability and risk associated with the development of contaminated land and benefit stakeholders, such as, municipalities and developers. Utilizing the methodology of law and economics, this research examines the legal landscape in Ontario and expands the dialogue regarding the risks of developing contaminated land. Through this examination, this research uncovers the origins of the risks of Brownfield redevelopment and extrapolates recommendations for amendments to legislation and policy that balance the liability of Brownfield redevelopment with the protection of the environment. Recent developments in environmental law appear to increase environmental protection, but actually limit Brownfield redevelopment in Ontario by increasing liability and costs. The polluter pays principle that has been entrenched in Canadian law has governed the law in respect of contaminated lands for decades. However, as society evolves, the common law is forced to re-evaluate environmental protection in the face of contaminated lands. This evolution of the law is an attempt to intervene to correct a market failure that exists with respect to contaminated lands. The increased liability associated with Brownfield redevelopment translates into heightened costs to redevelop the land, which also severely threatens environmental justice in Ontario. The recommendations in this research will benefit stakeholders, the public, and the environment. With respect to stakeholders, it will be of assistance to municipalities, cities, developers, corporations, secured lenders, mortgage insurers and the government. The risks associated with Brownfield redevelopment can be offset by the recommended corrections to legislation regarding liability and stronger policies that create accessible programs and incentives to promote just, innovative, and sustainable redevelopment.

Due to the comprehensiveness of the topic of animal protection, the thesis focuses on its specific segment - liability in tort in the field of animal protection as individuals. In the diploma thesis the term "animal" is used stricto sensu - it means individuals falling under the term "animal", as defined by the Act No. 246/1992 Coll., on the Protection of Animals Against Cruelty - ie every living vertebrate, except humans, but not the fetus or embryo. The aim of the diploma thesis is to give an explanation of tortious liability in the field of administrative and criminal law in animal protection, to critically evaluate the current legislation, identify problematic areas and suggest possible changes. The secondary goal is to present the basic scope of the primary obligations set by the Act No. 246/1992 Coll., on the Protection of Animals Against Cruelty. The diploma thesis is divided into a total of six chapters, introduced by the introduction and supplemented by the conclusion. The first chapter provides an explanation of the basic concepts that are used in the field of animal protection, such as the term "animal" and similar terms or for example term "welfare". It defines the position of animals in private and public law and presents the subsequent categorizations of animals. The second chapter...

Damages for Breach of Contractual and Non-Contractual Duty in Civil Law - Abstract The thesis at hand deals with liability for non-performance of a contract and liability in tort. The new Civil Code abandoned the general rule of Sec. 420 of Act No. 40/1964 Coll., which did not distinguish between contractual and non-contractual liability. The new Civil Code thus provides for two different liability regimes depending on whether the wrongdoer and the victim entered into a contract (or similar obligation) or not. While liability in tort is governed by Sec. 2909 and 2910 CC, contractual liability is stipulated in Sec. 2913 CC. The thesis strives to examine this important change in its complexity when emphasis in being put onto the theoretical, comparative and historical context. Firstly, the thesis provides for the basic theoretical background of liability in civil law and looks at the foundations of its division into contract and tort. The author further dives into the topic from a comparative perspective. Given the inspirational sources of the Czech Civil Code, the thesis focuses mainly on German and Austrian approach. The thesis also gives a brief summary of the historical development in the Czech civil law. The main part of the thesis focuses on the relevant provisions, their relationship and conditions for...

The Economic Analysis of Tort Law Abstract In the presented thesis I discuss the economic analysis of tort law. The economic analysis of law can be described as the application of economic theory - primarily microeconomics and the basic concepts of welfare economics - to examine the formation, structure, processes, and economic impact of law and legal institutions. The economic analysis of tort law can help understand the impact of tort liability on individuals' behavior, why some areas of human activity are governed by negligence or strict liability, or why, in some cases, the amout of damages is limited. First two chapters describe the economic approach to law as such, they serve as an introduction into this field of study and present the most important methodological approaches. In the first chapter, I also discuss the basic tendencies that have shaped the economic analysis of law throughout its development. Second chapter then discusses some of the fundamental concepts of the economic analysis of law, namely the assumption of rational action, the concept of transaction costs, the efficiency criterion, the importance of the Coase theorem, and the distinction between property rules and liability rules. Following the examination of the concept of economic efficiency, an alternative approach based on the...

Die Arbeit untersucht Bereicherungsansprüche beim Einzug fremder Forderungen und bei der Anstiftung zum Vertragsbruch im deutschen, englischen, amerikanischen und französischen Recht. Besonders im common law werden beide genannten Fälle zusammenhängend betrachtet. Die tatsächliche Gemeinsamkeit wird darin gesehen, daß sich der Dritte jeweils anstelle der aus dem ursprünglichen Schuldverhältnis berechtigten Partei die dieser geschuldete Leistung oder Gegenleistung zu eigen macht. Die Arbeit zeigt jedoch, dass der Bereicherungsanspruch in beiden Fällen von jeweils unterschiedlichen Erwägungen und Schutzzwecken getragen wird. Beim Einzug fremder Forderungen wird der Bereicherungsanspruch im deutschen, französischen und englischen Recht davon abhängig gemacht, ob der Forderungseinzug auch gegenüber dem wahren Gläubiger schuldbefreiende Wirkung hat. Lediglich im amerikanischen Recht wird der Bereicherungsanspruch bereits vom bloßen Einzug einer fremden Forderung abhängig gemacht. Forderungen werden damit mit einem umfassenden Schutz auch Dritten gegenüber ausgestattet und in ihrer ausschließlichen Zuweisung an den Gläubiger dem Eigentum angeglichen. Diese Verdinglichung vertraglicher Rechte vermag jedoch (im amerikanischen Recht) nur Bereicherungsansprüche beim Einzug fremder Forderungen zu erklären, nicht hingegen bei der Anstiftung zum Vertragsbruch. Hier entsteht ein Bereicherungsanspruch nicht bereits mit dem bloßen Eingriff in ein fremdes Vertragsrecht, sondern setzt vielmehr eine rechtswidrige und schuldhafte Handlung voraus. Der Bereicherungsanspruch dient damit der Verhaltenskontrolle, nicht aber dem Rechtsgüterschutz. Dies gilt jedoch nur im amerikanischen Recht. In den anderen untersuchten Rechten gibt es hingegen keinen Gewinnabschöpfungsanspruch bei der Anstiftung zum Vertragsbruch.

Damages for Breach of Contractual and Non-Contractual Duty in Civil Law - Abstract The thesis at hand deals with liability for non-performance of a contract and liability in tort. The new Civil Code abandoned the general rule of Sec. 420 of Act No. 40/1964 Coll., which did not distinguish between contractual and non-contractual liability. The new Civil Code thus provides for two different liability regimes depending on whether the wrongdoer and the victim entered into a contract (or similar obligation) or not. While liability in tort is governed by Sec. 2909 and 2910 CC, contractual liability is stipulated in Sec. 2913 CC. The thesis strives to examine this important change in its complexity when emphasis in being put onto the theoretical, comparative and historical context. Firstly, the thesis provides for the basic theoretical background of liability in civil law and looks at the foundations of its division into contract and tort. The author further dives into the topic from a comparative perspective. Given the inspirational sources of the Czech Civil Code, the thesis focuses mainly on German and Austrian approach. The thesis also gives a brief summary of the historical development in the Czech civil law. The main part of the thesis focuses on the relevant provisions, their relationship and conditions for...

This thesis presents an account of attribution in unjust enrichment. Attribution refers to how and when two parties – a claimant and a defendant – are relevantly connected to each other for unjust enrichment purposes. It is reflected in the familiar expression that a defendant be 'enriched at the claimant's expense'. This thesis presents a structured account of attribution, consisting of two requirements: first, the identification of an enrichment to the defendant and a loss to the claimant; and, secondly, the identification of a connection between that enrichment and that loss. These two requirements must be kept separate from other considerations often subsumed within the expression 'enrichment at the claimant's expense' which in truth have nothing to do with attribution, and which instead qualify unjust enrichment liability for reasons that should be analysed in their own terms. The structure of attribution so presented fits a normative account of unjust enrichment based upon each party's exchange capacities. A defendant is enriched when he receives something that he has not paid for under prevailing market conditions, while a claimant suffers a loss when he loses the opportunity to charge for something under the same conditions. A counterfactual test – asking whether enrichment and loss arise 'but for' each other – provides the best generalisation for testing whether enrichment and loss are connected, thereby satisfying the requirements of attribution in unjust enrichment. The law is stated as at 15 March 2014.

This study examined perceptions of student legal issues confronting metropolitan institutions of higher education. The data for the study were collected using a modified version of Bishop's (1993) legal survey. The sample for the study consisted of 44 chief student affairs officers and 44 chief legal affairs officers employed with the 44 institutions affiliated with the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities. Frequency counts and percentage distributions were employed to analyze the data. Chief student affairs officers and chief legal affairs officers have very different perception as to the most likely student legal issues to be litigated in the next ten years. Chief student affairs officers found few student legal issues highly likely to be litigated in the next 10 years. Affirmative action, sex/age discrimination, fraternities and sororities, and disabled students were the only student legal issues at least 20 percent of chief student affairs officers believed to be highly likely of litigation in the next ten years. Chief legal affairs officers believed many student legal issues would be litigated in the next 10 years. At least 20 percent of the chief legal affairs officers believed admission criteria, affirmative action, reverse discrimination, sex/age discrimination, athletic tort liability, Title IX, defaulting student loans, defamation, negligence, academic dismissals, academic dishonesty, cyberspace issues, and disabled students to be highly likely of litigation in the next ten years. Chief student affairs officers and chief legal affairs officers prepare very similarly for future student legal issues they may confront in the future. There is a large amount of crossover between professional conferences of chief student affairs officers and chief legal affairs officers. Student affairs and legal affairs officers will attend professional conferences of both groups in order to stay abreast of student legal issues. It appears chief student affairs officers are not prepared to confront many of the student legal issues highly likely to be litigated in the next ten years.