Sprzeciw sumienia w orzecznictwie ETPC (na podstawie wyroku Wielkiej Izby z 7 lipca 2011 r. w sprawie Bayatyan v. Armenia)

Author(s): Jacek Falski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

The article provides an analysis of judgment of Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rightsof 7 July 2011 in the case of Bayatyan v. Armenia, in which the Court, based on the “living instrument”doctrine, gives — inter alia — a new creative interpretation of Article 9 of the Convention. In this interpretationthe Court broadened its scope of protection to include conscientious objectors, to autonomous extent, within the full meaning of this prerequisite not functionally limited to matters relating tothe armed service, which might be indicated by the scope of the case considered.

Prawno-polityczny spór wokół wyboru sędziego Sądu Najwyższego USA po śmierci Antonina Scalii

Author(s): Paweł Laidler / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

The article aims at analyzing legal and political sources, as well as consequences of the currentconfl ict between President Barack Obama and Republican Senators over the vacancy in the SupremeCourt after the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. The Republican Party fears thatthe nomination made by Democratic president will shift the Court to the left, which, consideringactive judicial review by the Court, will have a crucial meaning for social, political and economicrelations in the country. The article defi nes legal and political relations between the executiveand legislative departments in the context of Supreme Court appointments, leading to fi ndings concerningpossible solution to the confl ict and facing the problem of politicization of constitutionalcourts.

Skarga na przewlekłość postępowania sądowego z perspektywy standardów konstytucyjnego prawa do sądu

Author(s): Robert Stefanicki / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

The excessive length of judicial and administrative proceedings is not rare in our country. The legislature,bound especially by the requirements of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rightsand Fundamental Freedoms introduces and expands the range of measures applied to individualsin cases of undue delay in proceedings. Potential standards of legal protection for designated letterof the law do not, however, suffi ciently translate into the results determining axiological and praxeologicalcharacter of the right to trial and the right to good administration. One of the reasons forthis is an absence of a consistent and comprehensive approach by the courts in implementing effectiveremedies for excessive length of proceedings. The effectiveness of complaints handling in relationto cases of excessive length should be examined from the perspective of the constitutionalprinciples of access to the courts and Convention requirements developed by the case law of theCourt of Human Rights. Remarks on the judgment of the Constitutional Tribunal of 22 October2015 touch the broader issue of the consequences (effects) of an interpretation of a varied juridicalstructure under discussion. Depending on what status of the complaint is achieved by cases concerningexcessive length of the proceedings and how effective are the mechanisms for remedy appliedin this respect, will shape the legal culture in response to unjustifi ably long proceedings incourts. The guarantees of Article 45 of the Constitution and Articles 6 and 13 of the Convention areintended to strengthen the citizens’ trust in the State and legal protection. There are, however, doubtswhether the strategy chosen by the constitutional court in the said judgment can used in shaping thestandards of transparency and effectiveness of the legal protection of the individual against excessivelength of proceedings.

Sądowa kontrola konstytucyjności ustaw zmieniających konstytucję w Indiach

Author(s): Marcin Szwed / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

The article presents evolution of the case law of the Supreme Court of India on the judicial reviewof the constitutionality of constitutional amendments, its evaluation in the legal doctrine and perceptionoutside India. Although the Constitution of India does not contain any limitations as to the substanceof constitutional amendments, during the political crisis in the period of Indira Gandhi’s rule,the Supreme Court has developed an effective system of judicial review of constitutional amendments.It is based on the assumption that the competence of the Parliament to enact amendments tothe Constitution is not unlimited, because the parliament cannot destroy the same act from which itderives its authority. It must therefore respect certain fundamental principles which form the so-called“basic structure of the Constitution”. Applying this doctrine, the Supreme Court overturned a numberof amendments, including those violating principle of judicial independence. The evaluation of theSupreme Court’s case law is divergent: according to some legal scholars it helped to save Indian democracy,while according to others it is full of loopholes and gives unlimited power to the judges.Despite this, it has had a substantial impact on the jurisprudence of courts in other countries in theregion or even in other parts of the World.

Czy Trybunał Konstytucyjny może orzekać tylko na podstawie przepisów konstytucji z pominięciem obowiązującej ustawy o Trybunale Konstytucyjnym?

Author(s): Bogusław Banaszak,Bogumił Szmulik / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2016

Postępowanie z projektem pilnym jako przykład szczególnego trybu ustawodawczego w polskim porządku prawnym — próba oceny z perspektywy praktyki parlamentarnej

Author(s): Maciej Borski,Bogusław Przywora / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

In this study, the authors attempt to assess the procedures for dealing with urgent bills under the Polish legal system, from the perspective of the practice based approach. The analysis in the study is based on the legal status enshrined in the Polish Constitution of 2 April 1997. According to the authors, the gathered research material, covering several years, is so extensive that it can constitute the basis for in-depth analysis and for formulating conclusions. The authors examine the historical and legal-comparative aspects of use of the fast-track procedure in the legislative process, the de lege lata legal status, as well the application of this instrument in practice. The fi nal part of the study provides the conclusions of the research undertaken.

Trybunał Konstytucyjny de lege ferenda — propozycje nowelizacji ustawy w odpowiedzi na opinię Komisji Weneckiej

Author(s): Jarosław Szymanek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

The article presents the proposals for the new statutory defi nition of the position of the ConstitutionalTribunal in response to the opinion of the Venice Commission criticizing the so-called “repair law”,adopted in December 2015 to amend the Constitutional Tribunal Act of 25 June 2015. The startingpoint for comments in the article is a critique of the position of Venice Commission which claimsthat there is only one universal and always repeatable model of constitutional judiciary. It is obviouslywrong, as the extra-parliamentary review of the constitutionality of law it is a heterogeneousand strongly pluralistic institution. It may have either a judicial (as in the USA), a quasi-judicial(Austria) or clearly extrajudicial (France) character. Each particular model of constitutional judiciaryis the result of a country’s own experiences, the impact of foreign models of governance and theapproach to constitutional review, which treats it as both an institution and a legal-political idea.It is also worth mentioning that disputes over constitutional courts are by no means Poland’s exclusivedomain, as they took place (to a larger or smaller extent) everywhere, including in the USA,France, Italy, Hungary and South Korea. Later in the article, the author formulates the proposals concerningthe new Constitutional Tribunal Act relating to issues such as the composition of the Tribunal;procedure for the nomination of candidates for judges of the Tribunal; the majority required toelect a judge; procedure for taking oaths from those elected to the post of judge; the adjudicatingpanels and the majority required to take a decision by the Tribunal; as well as the term of offi ce ofthe President of the Constitutional Tribunal. The above-mentioned topics do not exhaust the wholepotential list of issues, but address those matters that have aroused the most controversy and whichbecame the object of scrutiny from the Venice Commission.

Filozofi a (teoria) prawa Carla Schmitta?

Author(s): Jerzy Zajadło / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

The main aim of this article is to analyze the small work of Carl Schmitt “On the three types ofjuristic thought”, fi rst published in 1934. In the literature of the subject, the German scholar is knownprimarily as a political philosopher and creator of the original, although controversial, ideas andconcepts, including: the nomos, the political, the friend and enemy relationship, a state of emergency,sovereignty and political theology. Not forgotten is also the support Schmitt gave the Nazi regimeafter Hitler came to power. In the fi rst two parts of the article, the author reviews, on the one hand,the current state of research on the thought of the German scholar and, on the other hand, presentshis short biography and his achievements as a writer. All of this, however, is only the backgroundfor a general review and analysis of the origins and content of the work of Schmitt of 1934. Theauthor emphasizes the unique character of that small volume book as compared to other works ofthe German scholar. In the book, Schmitt rather appears to us as a theorist and philosopher of law,who goes beyond a dispute between legal positivism and natural law, and proposes a particular modeof thinking based on legal institutions. His sources of inspiration include two of his contemporaryauthors, representing institutional theory of law, Maurice Harriou and Santi Romano. According tothe author of the article, it is hard to claim on this basis that Schmitt developed his own theory andphilosophy of law.

W sprawie poselskiego projektu ustawy o zmianie Konstytucji Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej

Author(s): Piotr Czarny,Marek Dobrowolski,Paweł Sobczyk,Andrzej Szmyt / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

Glosa do wyroku Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z dnia 7 października 2015 r. (sygn. akt K 12/14)

Author(s): Oktawian Nawrot / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

Glosa do wyroku Sądu Apelacyjnego w Gdańsku z dnia 26 listopada 2014 r. (sygn. akt V ACa 729/14)

Author(s): Michał Ożóg / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

Glosa do postanowienia Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z dnia 7 stycznia 2016 r. (sygn. akt U 8/15)

Author(s): Bartosz Skwara / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

Raport Zespołu Ekspertów do spraw Problematyki Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z dnia 15 lipca 2016 r.

Author(s): Author Not Specified / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4/2016

Formuła francuskiej dwuizbowości w świetle rozwiązań ustrojowych V Republiki

Author(s): Łukasz Jakubiak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 5/2016

The article deals with the formula of bicameralism implemented on the basis of institutional schemeadopted in the Constitution of France of 4 October 1958. By providing an analysis of specifi c aspectsof a broader law-making function and oversight function of parliament, the author accentuates thespecifi city of the construction of the relative asymmetry applied therein, which involves the synthesisof symmetric solutions (e.g. relating to an amendment of the Constitution pursuant to Article 89)and those clearly asymmetric (e.g. based on government’s accountability to parliament). Special attentionshould be paid to Article 45 of the Constitution which regulates the relationship between bothchambers under the regular legislative procedure. The construction resulting from its provisions isbased on the assumption that the government may signifi cantly interfere in the legislative procedure,deciding in specifi c cases — through the so-called procedure of the last words of the National Assembly— on symmetry or asymmetry of Chambers, which is one of the signs of a particular kind offl exibility the French model of bicameralism. Moreover, the author indicates the impact of the socalledEuropeanization of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on the position of the French secondChamber, and also examines the increase or decrease of actual role.

Funkcja sygnalizacyjna Trybunału Konstytucyjnego — stan obecny a projektowane zmiany. Polemika z Anną Pazurą i Janem Uniejewskim

Author(s): Dorota Lis-Staranowicz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 5/2016

The article is a polemic. It contains arguments justifying the thesis that the signaling decisions of the Constitutional Tribunal have no effect, either on law-making process or on the applicationof law. Consequently, a view has developed in the sciences of law that there is need to enhancethat instrument. Another view is taken by the author who is in favor of its abolition, rather than strengthening.

W sprawie uwag do nowelizacji ustawy z dnia 25 czerwca 2015 r. o Trybunale Konstytucyjnym, przygotowanych przez Komisję Wenecką

Author(s): Bogumił Szmulik / Language(s): Polish Issue: 5/2016

W sprawie instytucjonalizacji korpusu urzędników wyborczych

Author(s): Jarosław Szymanek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 5/2016

Glosa do wyroku Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z dnia 23 czerwca 2015 r. (sygn. akt SK 32/14)

Author(s): Natalia Cabaj / Language(s): Polish Issue: 5/2016

Glosa do wyroku Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z dnia 2 czerwca 2015 r. (sygn. akt K 1/13)

Author(s): Piotr Kapusta / Language(s): Polish Issue: 5/2016

Dyplomacja parlamentarna jako jeden z instrumentów współczesnych stosunków międzynarodowych

Author(s): Ireneusz Bochenek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 5/2016