ACCAF4《公司法與商法》知識點講解（3）

1Doctrineofjudicialprecedent

1.1Commonlawandequityareabodyofjudgemadelawscontainedindecisionsofthecourtscalledjudgements.

1.2Judge–madelaworcaselawiswherebyjudgesfollowthedecisionsofotherjudges.Thedoctrineofprecedentissometimesreferredtoas'staredecisis':letthedecisionstand.

1.3Forcaselawtobeworkableasasourceoflawitneedstoachieveconsistency.Various'rules'havethereforedevelopedtoachievethisaim.

1.4‘Rules’:

1.4.1Onlystatementsoflawmadebyjudgescanformprecedent.Inturnthesestatementsmustbedividedupintoratiodecidendi(thereasonforthedecision)andobiterdicta(othercomments).

Onlytheratiodecidendiformsthebasisofprecedentasitisthisreasoningwhichisvitaltohisdecision.Obiterdictaarestatementsofgenerallaw(orhypotheticalsituations)whicharenotnecessaryforthedecisioninthecaseandhencearenotbinding.

1.4.2Astheratiodecidendiofacasestemsfromspecificfactsifaprecedentistobefollowedinasubsequentcasethefactsofthatcasemustbesufficientlysimilar.

1.4.3Theprecedentmusthavebeensetbyacourtcapableofcreatingprecedentandnothavebeenoverruled.

1.5Hierarchyofthecourts:

(a)HouseofLords–bindsalllowercourtsbutnotitself(exceptionalcases)

(b)CourtofAppeal–bindsalllowercourtsanditself

(c)HighCourt

Judgesittingalone–bindsalllowercourtsnotdivisionalcourts

Judgessittingtogether–bindsalllowercourtsanddivisionalcourts

(d)Crown

Magistrates–bindno-oneatall

County

1.6Aprecedentceasestobebindingif:

(i)IthasbeenoverruledbystatuteorEUlaworbyahighercourt.

(ii)Itcanbedistinguishedonthefactsi.e.ifthematerialfactsarenotthesame.

1.7Advantages:

(i)Detail.

(ii)Flexibility.

(iii)Consistency.

(iv)Fairness.

1.8Disadvantages:

(i)Bulk.

(ii)Restrictsjudicialdiscretion.

(iii)reactivesystem.

(iv)Lackofdemocraticaccountability.

1.9Persuasiveauthority:

Thesearedecisions(e.g.thoseofcommonwealthcountries,