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SQE Public Law > Sources of Law > Flashcards

Sources of Law Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the doctine of Stare Decisis

A

Once a principle has been laid down, future cases with the same material facts must be decided in the same way

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2
Q

What is the test for determining whether an English court will follow a precedent?

A
  1. Proposition of law
  2. Part of ratio
  3. Higher Court
  4. No distinctions
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3
Q

What is a ratio?

A

Central legal reasoning of a case

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4
Q

What are examples of obiter?

A
  • Statements of law not necessary to decisision (hypothetical, immaterial facts)
  • Statements of law as the judge woudl like it but for the doctrine of precedent
  • Dissenting Judgements
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5
Q

Which courts are not bound by their own decisions?

A

Supreme Court
First Instance High Court
First Tier Tribunal
Crown, County, Family, Magistrates

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6
Q

Which courts bind themselves?

A

Court of Appeal
Appellate Division High Court
Upper Tribunal

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7
Q

3 situations

When can the Court of Appeal (Appellate of High Court) depart from its own decisions?

A
  1. Previous conflicting decisions
  2. Previous decision overruled expressly or impliedly by SC
  3. Decision made per incuriam (faulty reasoning as unaware of relevant authority)
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8
Q

What does per incuriam mean?

A

Decision was based on faulty reasoning as unaware of relevant authority

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9
Q

When does a court ‘follow’ a decision?

A

Court follows decision in an earlier case due to almost identical facts

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10
Q

When does a court ‘approve’ or ‘affirm’ a decision?

A

Higher court agrees with lower court’s decision on appeal (same case)

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11
Q

When does a court apply a decision?

A

Follows an earlier case due to some factual similarities

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12
Q

When does a court distinguish a decision?

A

Departs from an earlier case due to difference in material facts

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13
Q

When does a court reverse a decision?

A

Higher court disagrees with earlier court on appeal (same case)

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14
Q

When does a court overule / overturn a decision

A

A higher court decides an earlier unrelated decision is wrong and sets out correct law

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15
Q

When does a court depart from a decision

A

Same court disagrees with a previous decision they made in a different case

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16
Q

If common law and equity conflict, which prevails?

A

Equity

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17
Q

How do common law and equitable remedies differ?

A

Common Law remedies are available as of right whereas equitable remedies are discretionary

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18
Q

Examples of equitable remedies

A
  • Specific Performance
  • Injunction
  • Declaration
  • Recission
  • Rectification
  • Account of Profits
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19
Q

When is Specific Performance available?

A
  1. Breach of contract (not employment contract or something that would require constant supervision)
  2. Valid contract
  3. Damages inadequate
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20
Q

What is a declaration and when is it available?

A

Legally binding statement about legal rights, existence of facts or a principle of law

Always available

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21
Q

What is recission and when is it available?

A

What? Setting aside contract
**When? **
1. Misrep, Mistake or Duress/Undue Influence; and
2. No bars

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22
Q

What is rectification and when is it available?

A

**What? **Corrects a contractual document to reflect parties’ intention
**When? **
1. Written contract
2. Minor error (not fundamental or extensive)

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23
Q

What is Primary Legislation?

A

Act of Parliament

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24
Q

What is Secondary Legislation?

A

Law created by Ministers or LAs under powers given in Parent Acts

(used to fill in details of primary legislation)

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25
Q

How does secondary legislation compare to primary legislation

A

equal statutory footing but can be quashed by courts

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26
Q

What is the difference between a private and public act?

A

Private: Affects particular place or people
Public: Relates to matters of general public conern

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27
Q

What is the difference between Government Bills and Private Members’ Bills

A

Gov: promoted by gov
Private Members: promoted by a particular MP

28
Q

What is the difference between codifying and consolidating legislation?

A

Codifying: existing statutes into one new act (no changes)
Consolidating: any existing law into one new act (can change existing law)

29
Q

When does an Act commence?

A

Date it receives royal assent or on commencement date set out in commencement section

29
Q

Outline the legislative process for passing primary legislation

A

Start: Commons or Lords (if public finances then commons only)
First Reading: Read title AND date for second reading (formality only)
Second Reading: Debate by MPs
Commitee Stage: Close scrutiny by committee
Report Stage: Amendments debated AND committee report voted on
Third Reading: Final debate AND vote (if passes goes to other house to repeat process)
Royal Assent: Monarch approves Bill

30
Q

Where does an Act apply?

A

Whole of UK unless stated otherwise

31
Q

Can parliament amend statutory instruments

A

No - can only accept or reject

32
Q
A
33
Q

What is the literal rule?

A

Words are given their plain, natural and ordinary meaning

34
Q

What is the Golden Rule?

A

Words are given their ordinary meaning unless this produces an inconsistent, absurd or inconvenient result?

35
Q

What is the narrow and wide application of the Golden Rule?

A

Narrow: Word has more than one meaning and court chooses less absurd meaning but goes no further
Wide: Word only has one meaning but produces obnoxious result so court alters wording (e.g. obvious error)

36
Q

What is the Mischief Rule?

A

Examination of legislator’s intent (identify wrong intended to correct and implement appropriate remedy)

37
Q

What is the purposive approach?

A

Examines purpose of statute even if it means departing from words’ ordinary meaning

38
Q
A
39
Q

What is Expressio Unius?

A

Express mention of one thing excludes another (closed list)

40
Q

What is Ejusdem Generis?

A

General words follow a list of specific words: general words only include same kind of objects as specific words (non-exhaustive list)

41
Q

What is Noscitur a Sociis?

A

Known by the company it keeps (e.g. work out whether the thing is included in category stated in the statute: is a leopard a cat?)

42
Q

What are Instrinsic Aids?

A

Any part of statute debated on by parliament (not margin notes)
* Includes interpretation section provided nothing contrary in main body

43
Q

When can Hansard be used to interpret statute?

A
  1. Ambiguity or absurdity; and
  2. Clear statement by minister or promoter of Bill
44
Q

What are the rebuttable presumptions when interpreting statute?

A
  1. Laws dont apply to Crown
  2. Not liable for criminal offence without guilty mind
  3. Unlikely to deprive of property or private rights
  4. Statute only affects future acts
  5. Statute is interpreted in line with existing common law
45
Q

What is the Council of Europe?

A

Body resonsible for ECHR and ECtHR (separate to European Union)

46
Q

What are the three categories of ECHR rights?

A

Absolute Rights
Limited Rights
Qualified Rights

47
Q

What are Absolute Rights?

A

Never be interfered with

torture, slavery, retrospective criminal offences

48
Q

What are Limited Rights?

A

Can be interfered with in specific circumstances

Life, liberty, fair trial

49
Q

What are Qualified Rights?

A

Can be interfered with provided interference is prescribed by law, in pursuit of a legitimate aim and proportionate

freedom of expression, private life and association

50
Q

What is the difference between a Monist and Dualist state?

A

Monist: international law binding automatically (European countries)
Dualist: court is not automatically bound by international law

51
Q

When is international law applicable in the UK?

A
  1. UK is party to proceedings in an international court to whose jurisdiction it has agreed to submit; or
  2. UK has incorporated international laws into domestic legal system through an Act
52
Q

What is the HRA?

A

Incorporates HRA into domestic law so directly enforceable in UK courts

53
Q

Does Parliament have a duty to act compatibly with ECHR?

A

No - only courts, government and authority carrying out public functions)

54
Q

What are the 2 main sources of EU law?

A

Primary Leg: Treaties
Secondary Leg: Regulations, Directives, Decisions and Case Law

55
Q

What does directly applicable mean?

A

Automatically applies in MSs (no need to enact national legal measures to implement them / give effect)

56
Q

What does Direct Effect mean?

A

Enforceable in national courts

57
Q

What types of secondary EU legislation are directly applicable?

A

Regulations
Case Law (check this???)

58
Q

What types of secondary EU legislation are directly effective?

A

Regulations
Directives (once implemented or date has passed)
Decisions
Case law? (CHECK!!)

59
Q

When can infringment proceedings be brought against a member state and by whom and in what court?

A

MS fails to implement a directive properly or on time.

Can only be brought by European Commission

CJEU

60
Q

How can an individual enforce improperly implemented directives in the national courts?

A
  1. Direct Effect (if failed to implement by implementation date)
  2. Indirect Effect (national courts must interpret domestic law compatibly with EU law where possible)
  3. State liability (comp for failure if serious consequences from state)
61
Q

What is the CJEU?

A

Arbiter on questions of EU law (European Court)

62
Q

Who can make references to the CJEU?

A

National Courts about interpretation of EU law or validity of primary / secondary EU legislation

European Commission on implementation of directives in infringement proceedings

Never individuals

63
Q

What is a preliminary reference?

A

National court asking for CJEU’s advice on interpretation of EU law

64
Q

Who decides how to apply a CJEU preliminary ruling on interpretation EU law?

A

National Court

65
Q

Is there a right of appeal from national courts to CJEU?

A

NO

SQE Public Law (8 decks)

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