14/05/2020

INTRODUCTION
TO ENGLISH L AW
SYSTEM

Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-Doctorante à L'université Jean Moulin Lyon 3-Associée à

L'institut Édouard Lambert et l'IAO, ENS

1
 • Yousra CHAABAN Maître assistante à la
Faculté de Droit-Ain Shams-Le Caire
• Doctorante de droit privé et comparé à
l'Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3
• Membre associée à l'IAO (ENS de Lyon)
• Membre de l'EDIEC et l'institut Édouard
Lambert

YOUSRA CHAABAN
• https://iao.cnrs.fr/membres/doctorants/yousr
a-chaaban/
• http://idcel.univ-
lyon3.fr/de/forschung/wissenschatliches-
team/
• Contact:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-Doctorante à L'université Jean Moulin Lyon 3-Associée à
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 POINTS Brief about comparative law systems

DISCUSSED IN Common Law vs civil Law system

THIS
About… history of English Law system
PRESENTATION
Precision :The Geographical Reach of the
English Law
Sources of the English Law system

The English courts and jurisdictions

Main features of the English Law system

(equity and precedents)

Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-Doctorante à L'université Jean Moulin Lyon 3-Associée à

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 BRIEF ABOUT
COMPARATIVE LAW
SYSTEM
• The English Law is a
common law system
• Refer to my presentation
about « introduction to
comparative law for
beginners ».https://www.slide
share.net/YousraChaaban/int
roduction-to-comparative-
law-for-beginners
14/05/2020 Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-Doctorante à L'université Jean Moulin Lyon 3-Associée à

L'institut Édouard Lambert et l'IAO, ENS 4

 • English law historically has had a wide
geographic reach, a feature that emanates
from the days of the British Empire,
which stretched from the Antipodes
(Australia, New Zealand, Oceania)
THE ENGLISH LAW through the Far East (Singapore,

BEYOND THE UK Malaysia, Hong Kong), to India,

Pakistan, British colonies in South
and East Africa, the Caribbean, and
Canada. US law is, of course,
grounded on English common law
principles.

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COMMON LAW VS CIVIL LAW SYSTEM

Common Law Civil Law

• Less restricted by written or codified • Legislation or codes constitute the
law but Parliament is always primary source of law
sovereign.
• Judges have greater authority to • Judges have a limited role in the
interpret law but are subject to the interpretation of law.
Doctrine of Precedent.
• Adversarial system • Inquisitorial system

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 • The common law started
developing after the Norman

ABOUT… HISTORY conquest in 1066 (Battle of

hastings). Before that, local
OF ENGLISH LAW unwritten customs determined
most laws originally. But the
SYSTEM problem of customs was the lack of
unity.

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• Unlike continental civil law, the
English system does not originate
from any particular set of texts but
from what has been called ‘tradition
expressed in action’. It began as
customary law used in the King's
court to settle disputes and
conflicts which affected the
monarch directly.
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 • In 1154, Henry II institutionalised common law by creating a unified
court system ‘common’ to the country through incorporating and
elevating local custom to the national level, ending local control,
eliminating arbitrary remedies, and reinstating a jury system of
citizens sworn on oath to investigate criminal accusations and civil
claims.

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 • In the expansion of the King's legal powers, an important role
was played by the clerics. They developed a range of claim
forms, called writs, and established procedures which, perhaps
significantly, gave them greater importance and provided them
with a generous income! (become later the common law
courts).
• Another important development: was the expansion of the
‘King's Peace’ or king’s bench.This was the monarch's, as
opposed to a local lord's, right to deal with any local
disorder or crime (begining of the idea of equity-see
below).
• See also: (Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873).

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 The full name of The UK has four
this country is principal
the United constituent
Kingdom of parts: England,
PRECISION : Great Britain Scotland, Wales,
and Northern and Northern
THE Ireland (UK). Ireland.

GEOGRAPHICAL
REACH OF THE Scotland and
Northern
So: the United
Ireland are
ENGLISH LAW particularly
Kingdom has
three legal
distinct from
systems.
England and
Wales

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WALES

• Wales was essentially

annexed into England
by the Wales Act 1535,
so it such does not
have a separate legal
system.

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SCOTLAND

Scotland: merged with England and Wales in 1707, in order to

create, the United Kingdom of Great Britain (Acts of Union 1707).

Title 19 of that Act of Union preserved to Scotland a separate

legal system.

NB: the legal system of Scotland is mixed: it contains elements of

both common law and civil law systems.

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 The Anglo-Irish Treaty
(1922), divided the 32
A hostile relationship with counties of Ireland into two
the rest of the UK since
history separate parts: 26 counties
became the Irish Free State
and the Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is formed

NORTHERN
IRELAND
of 6 counties : Antrim, In 1937, the Irish Free State
Armagh, Fermanagh, Tyrone,
Down, and took its indenpendance.
Derry/Londonderry.

The Good Friday Agreement

In 1973 Northen Ireland
1998: = the establishment of
adopted a new constitution the Northern Ireland
that confirms that North
Assembly which has
Ireland is under the direct
legislative competence in
rule of Westminster. certain devolved areas.

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SOURCES OF THE ENGLISH LAW
SYSTEM

Legislation

Common law (precedents, case law)

Europaean law
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1/LEGISLATION
• Legislation is created by the Parliament.
• This later is Bicameral =The UK Parliament has
two Houses.
• The House of Commons (650 elected MPs), the
House of Lords (826 unelected members) and for
sure : the monarch ( ceremonial role+ sign every
new law).
• Both: the House of Commons and the House of
Lords share the job of making laws.
• Ideas for new laws are called bills: (see
parliamentary ping pong).
Once the two houses agree, then it's the monarch's
turn. It's their job to formally agree the bill. This
makes it an act of Parliament. And only then is it a
law.

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PARLIAMENTARY
SOVEREIGNTY
• Parliamentary Sovereignty
means Parliament can
enact, revoke or alter any law
it sees fit.
• NB: Acts apply in all four
countries of the UK – see
later slides.

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2/COMMON LAW

• Law that has evolved through court

cases over the past 800 years.
• Doctrine of precedent, or stare
decisis, lies at the heart of this
system (see main features below).
• NB: However, much of our law is
actually statutory!
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3/EUROPEAN LAW

Brexit: In 2016, 52% of the

population voted to leave the The treaties are the primary
European Union law was source of European law (v. the
United Kingdom joined the incorporated into domestic EU (see Article 50 of Lisbon
European Community in treaty that introduced for the Treaty of Rome 1957, Maastricht
law by the European Treaty 1992; and the Lisbon
1973. Communities Act 1972 first time a procedure for a
member state to withdraw Treaty of 2009.
voluntarily from the EU).

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THE ENGLISH COURTS AND
JURISDICTIONS

Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-

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 – Claimant v Defendant (Civil) = County courts
– Appellant v Respondent= Court of Appeal (civil
division)
– The trial may be summary or by indictment
SOME Summary offences are matters that are tried by a
judge alone. If it does not, then the offence is
VOCABULARY an indictable offence. Indictable
offences. Indictable offences require a trial by
judge and jury.
– Appeal a sentence or conviction =/= (is not)
Appeals against conviction on a question of
law.

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 Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-
14/05/2020 Doctorante à L'université Jean Moulin Lyon 3-Associée à 23
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 Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-
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CRIMINAL CASES

All criminal cases will start in the magistrates’ court.

The more serious criminal matters are committed (or sent) to the
Crown Court.
Appeals from the Crown Court will go to the High Court.

and potentially to the Court of Appeal (criminal division) or even

the Supreme Court.

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MAGISTRATES’ COURT

Magistrates’ court: are local courts.

There are three types of cases that can be heard in the Magistrates’: summary
matters, indictable matters and those can be tried either summarily or on
indictment.
Trials take place in front of either a bench of lay justices or a District judge.

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CROWN COURT

The Crown Court has both original and appellate jurisdiction (it can hear
trials and certain appeals).
The judge in the Crown Court will regularly sit with a jury for trials. The
judge advises the jury as to the law and the jury decide questions of fact.
Only defendants can appeal to the Crown Court.

(Ancienne cour d’assises).

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APPEAL FOR CRIMINAL CASES

There is no automatic
right of appeal, instead Only the defendant
permission must be can appeal against
granted by the Court conviction.
of Appeal.

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APPEAL FOR CRIMINAL CASES

Where it is a summary case, appeals on sentence or conviction on fact

go to the Crown Court. Appeals against conviction on a question of law
will go to the Divisional Court (High Court).
NB: If the summary trial was appealed in the Crown Court, there is a further
appeal on a point of law to the High Court.

Where the case was by indictment, The Court of Appeal (Criminal

Division) will hear criminal appeals against conviction or sentence from the
Crown Court.

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CIVIL CASES

• Magistrates’ court (tribunals), but

may well go to a county court.
• Appeals will go to the High Court
and then to the Court of Appeal –
although to different divisions of
those courts.

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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COURT AND A
TRIBUNAL?

Court Tribunal
• General Jurisdiction • Special Jurisdiction
• Need barrister/solicitor • There is not always a need for a
barrister/solicitor to represent someone
• The people sitting on a tribunal will often
have specific expertise

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 • The County Courts are inferior
COUNTY courts created by statute (County
COURT Courts Act 1846 (amended in
1984).
• Deals with these types of
cases= Breach of contract , Claims
in tort, Personal injury, Land
disputes, Family
• These types of cases are also heard
in the High Court. The Country
Court has exclusive jurisdiction
over ‘small claims’.

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APPEAL IN CIVIL CASES

Cases from the country courts can be appealed at the High Court. This
later has unlimited jurisdiction in civil matters. It will hear the more serious civil
cases.

The High Court is divided into 3 divisions: (1) Queen’s Bench Division (2)
Chancery Division (3) Family Division= (v. infra); which are in turn subdivided to
many many courts.

The Court of Appeal (Civil Division) hears appeals from the county courts,
the High Court (Queen’s Bench, Chancery, and Family Division), and some Tribunals
such as the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Immigration Appeal Tribunal.

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APPEAL IN CIVIL CASES

Permission to appeal must be given

by the trial judge or the Court of
Appeal. Permission to appeal will
Unlike in the criminal courts, any
be granted if the appeal has a real
party may appeal.
prospect of success or if there is
some other compelling reason why
the appeal should be heard.

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 UK SUPREME COURT
• The Supreme Court was established in the
Constitutional Reform Act 2005, Part 3. It came into
being in October 2009.
• The Supreme Court has the same jurisdiction, broadly
speaking, as the House of Lords.
• The UK Supreme Court is at the top of the hierarchy of
courts, it is the final court of appeal for civil and criminal
cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the
final court of appeal for civil cases for Scotland.

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UK SUPREME COURT
• In criminal law cases there is an appeal
to the UK Supreme Court from the
Court of Appeal (Criminal, civil
Divisions) and the Divisional Court of
the Queen’s Bench Division (High
Court). This is open to the prosecutor
and the defendant.
• The Supreme Court hears only a small
number of appeals.
• For a case to be heard it must involve
a point of public importance.

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 • The Judicial Committee of The Privy Council
(JCPC) is the court of final appeal for the UK
overseas territories and Crown dependencies,
and for those Commonwealth countries that
JUDICIAL
have retained the appeal to Her Majesty in
COMMITTEE Council or, in the case of Republics, to the
OF THE PRIVY Judicial Committee.
COUNCIL • Established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833
• The Privy Council gives advice and opinions :
The decisions of the Privy Council are
persuasive rather than binding.

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COMPARING TO THE FRENCH COURT
SYSTEM ORGANIZATION

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 Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-
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MAIN FEATURES OF THE ENGLISH LAW
SYSTEM

The English
Law has two Equity Precedents
main:

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 Equity Common Law

1/ EQUITY Refers to court rulings dealing

with justice and fairness
Refers to the law based on
precedents

• The Oxford English Chancery representative of Judges and jury

Dictionary gives a general the monarch
definition of ‘equity’ as:
The quality of being equal or fair;
-Procedures nowadays in the two are the same, before that
fairness, impartiality; even-handed
there were two different courts
dealing.What is fair and right;
-Similar cases might be heard in both
something that is fair and right. Difference: the way which the cases are heard and the type
• Difference with common of decision handled down
law:

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ORIGIN OF EQUITY

Evolved from the King’s

Chancellor was usually a
authority to issue writs
cleric who made decisions
through his Chancellor in
according to his
order to address unjust
conscience on the merits
(or unconscionable)
of the individual case.
judgments of his courts.

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
EQUITY AND COMMON LAW
• The Chancellor’s decisions acquired the
status of a separate body of law.
See Chancellor vs Lord Chief Justice - The Earl of
Oxford’s Case (1615) 1 Ch Rep 1 (Rivalry between
the Chancery and common law courts was
exemplified by this case).
• Fusion Equity and Common Law: Section
25(11) Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873:
‘In all matters not hereinbefore particularly
mentioned, in which there is any conflict, or
variance, between the Rules of Equity and the
Rules of Common Law with reference to the same
matter, the Rules of Equity will apply.’
= fusion administrative uniquement
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WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Equity remains a separate body of law, but one that is

administered by ALL courts.
Some areas that were originally created by the old Court of
Chancery remain creative.
A key source of this creativity is the
‘equitable maxims’
But this creativity is limited……… (see next slide)

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 REASONS FOR LIMITING EQUITY’S CREATIVITY

• ‘the creation of new rights and remedies is a matter for Parliament, not
the judges’.
See: Usurpation of the function of Parliament - Western Fish Products v Penwith
District Council [1981] 2 All ER 204, per Megaw LJ:

• ‘one might as well forget the law of contract and issue every judge with a portable
palm tree.The days of justice varying with the size of the Chancellor’s foot would
have returned.’
See: The problem of Uncertainty - Cowcher v Cowcher [1972] 1 WLR 425 and
Taylor v Dickens [1998] 1 FLR 806, per Judge Weeks QC

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2/ PRECEDENTS

The precedent cases are a source of the Law.

A binding precedent is a case that must be applied in a later case.

= Courts must follow binding precedents of courts above their level

Aims to ensure certainty as an aspect of fairness.

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 WHAT IS THE REASON THAT PECEDENTS ARE BINDING? ( WHEN DOES THE
DOCTRINE OPERATE?)

• The Ratio Decidendi (of the judgement)= When we say that a decision is
‘binding’, we are really saying that the ratio of that decision is binding
• Ratio decidendi is basically the principle of law decided by the case in question.
• = We have to look to the reason of the outcome of the precedent case in the
same matter.
See Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] UKHL 100
• NB: The material facts help us find the ratio.

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 ATTENTION =/=
• Obiter Dicta (of the judgment) are things
said within a case that do not relate to the
material facts. They are statements that are not
binding on a later judge.
See Home Office v Dorset Yacht Co Ltd [1970]
AC 1004

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HOW TO AVOID A PRECEDENT ?
Overruling Reversing Distinguishing

A court is asked to review whether a Reversing is when a court higher in the When a court decides that the case is materially
precedent from a lower court is correct hierarchy reverses the decision of a lower different in fact or law.The court is essentially
law court in the same case. saying that the decision is not sufficiently similar.
= the Law must change
The effect of distinguishing is that the court does
not consider itself bound by a previous case or
precedent.

McLoughlin v O'Brian , 1982 UKHL 3, 1 For example: when an appeal against a - Balfour v Balfour [1919] 2 KB 571
(UKHL 6 May 1982) decision succeeds - Merritt v Merritt [1970] EWCA Civ 6===Technically
Overruling bound by Balfour – earlier decision, same court - but
Dulieu v White & Sons | [1901] EWHC the facts were distinguished.
KB 1

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CONVERGENCE BETWEEN ENGLISH LAW AND FRENCH LAW
(OPINION AND IDEAS OF RESEARCHES)

Hint: After the French Common Law Systems Globalisation EU and uniformed
Law reform of 2016 are becoming more codifications
(codifying judicial cases) codified ?

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 FURTHER READINGS SUGGESTED
• Catherine Elliott, Frances Quinn, English Legal System, 2017.
• Stefan Fafinski, Emily Finch, English Legal System (Law Express), 6th edition, 2017.
• Gary Slapper, the English Legal System, Eighteenth Edition, 2017.
• Catherine Elliott, Frances Quinn, English Legal System, Tenth Edition, 2009.

Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-Doctorante à L'université Jean Moulin Lyon 3-Associée à
14/05/2020 L'institut Édouard Lambert et l'IAO, ENS
54
 Yousra Chaaban-TA Faculty of Law-Ain Shams University-
14/05/2020 Doctorante à L'université Jean Moulin Lyon 3-Associée à 55
L'institut Édouard Lambert et l'IAO, ENS