Universität zu Köln

Maxeiner, James R. (2021). The Authoritative Text as Imperative for Comprehensibility of Legislation. Zeitschrift für Europäische Rechtslinguistik (ZERL) (Sonderausgabe 2021). Köln: Universität zu Köln, Europäische Rechtslinguistik.

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Abstract

(Beitrag 5. Europäisches Symposium zur Verständlichkeit von Rechtsvorschriften des Bundesministeriums der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz) The most understandable of texts is of little use as law if it is not clear that it is authoritative. This is the comparative lesson of this essay. American law is—Americans say—indeterminate. American law is indeterminate because American texts, clear as they may be in wording, often are not authoritative; other texts apply too and may be inconsistent. German law is rarely indeterminate in this sense. This essay identifies in bullet-points some comparative aspects of clarity of American and German law. Why is American law indeterminate? Why is German law not? What, if anything, do these differences counsel for future European Union law? I identify five areas of differences. 1. Legal System and Statutes, 2. Lawmaking. 3. Federalism. 4. Constitutional Review and 5. Law Application.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Maxeiner, James R. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
Editors:	Editors Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Burr, Isolde UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-535650
DOI:	10.18716/ojs/zerl/2021.0.1272
Journal or Publication Title:	Zeitschrift für Europäische Rechtslinguistik (ZERL)
Number:	Sonderausgabe 2021
Date:	30 September 2021
Publisher:	Universität zu Köln, Europäische Rechtslinguistik
Place of Publication:	Köln
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Divisions:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Fächergruppe 5: Moderne Sprachen und Kulturen > Romanisches Seminar > Professur für Europäische Rechtslinguistik
Subjects:	Law Language, Linguistics
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Rule of Law, Rechtsstaat, legal system, statutes, statutory precedent, lawmaking, federalism, constitutional review, legal certainty, legal indeterminacy, 5. Europäisches Symposium zur Verständlichkeit von Rechtsvorschriften English
Related URLs:	Publisher
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/53565