Goethe-Universität

Prof. Bälz

Core Law (MEAS Core Lecture)

Reading Japanese Legal Texts

Lecturer:

Prof. Dr. Moritz Bälz, LL.M. (Harvard) and Dr. Hiroki Kawamura

For further informations please see here QIS/LSF.

Any deeper exploration of Japanese law requires being able to read Japanese legal texts in the original language. However, normal classes tend to leave little room to exercise such skills. For all those willing to give it a try we offer this class in order to jointly read various legal texts in Japanese and discuss (in English) their contents. The goal is to acquire basic skills in reading legal materials and to learn basic Japanese legal terminology. We expect participants to have advanced Japanese skills (equivalent to 4 semesters of learning) and to be willing to actively engage in class. We shall try to accommodate different levels of prior knowledge if needed. For MEAS students a final exam consisting of a brief translation and questions will be offered.

Für alle diejenigen, die sich vertieft mit dem japanischen Recht beschäftigen wollen, ist es unerlässlich, japanische Rechtstexte im Original auswerten zu können. Allerdings bleibt im Rahmen des normalen Unterrichts wenig Zeit, dies einzuüben. Für all diejenigen, welche einen Versuch wagen wollen, wird dieser Kurs angeboten, in dem gemeinsam juristische Texte auf Japanisch gelesen und gemeinsam (auf Englisch) diskutiert werden sollen. Ziel ist ein Einstieg in den Umgang mit den verschiedenen Textformen und spezifische Begriffe und Wendungen der japanischen Rechtssprache. Voraussetzung sind fortgeschrittene Kenntnisse des Japanischen (ca. 4 Semester) und die Bereitschaft zur aktiven Mitarbeit. Auf unterschiedliche Niveaus kann Rücksicht genommen werden.

Seminar The Chinese Guiding Cases System

Visiting Prof. Hui Huang (School of Transnational Law of Peking University) &

Prof. Dr. Moritz Bälz (Goethe University)

This course is designed as a three-day intensive seminar, which aims（1）to introduce China’s so-called Guiding Cases System including its generation and development, reflect on its functional design and critically assess its status quo；（2）to compare the Chinese guiding cases system with German practices regarding leading cases (Leitentscheidungen), and (3) to engage into a case-based Sino-German comparative law exercises.
Initiated by the Supreme People’s Court of China in 2010, the so-called guiding cases system aims at summarizing adjudication experiences, unifying the application of law, enhancing adjudication quality, and safeguarding judicial impartiality. While it has attracted widespread attention even beyond China, including a major project at Stanford University, its status quo also shows many problems.
The seminar consists of two parts each comprising also presentations by students:
In the first part of our class, we shall look into the guiding cases system as a measure of judicial reform and try to assess it from a comparative perspective using also insights from German practices regarding leading cases. Prof. Huang will give an introductory lecture on the system, which will be complemented by student presentations on methodological topics.
The second part will consist of exercises in comparative case law. Using Chinese guiding cases mostly form civil law which have been translated into English by the aforementioned Stanford Project, student presentations analyze a case and its outcome under Chinese law, contrast with this how it would likely be decided under German law, and reflect on commonalities and differences observed.
Student presentations are later to be handed in also as written paper.
This course is taught in English. Chinese skills are not required (but, of course, welcome).

Date (new!): Block sessions 23-25 June, 2020 via zoom

A Preparatory meeting has taken place on Wednesday 12 February 2020, where brief explanations were given and topics for student presentations were assigned.

Credit: The course can be taken as seminar in the concentrations (Schwerpunkte) Internationalisierung und Europäisierung or Grundlagen des Rechts. It alternatively – or even in addition – counts as course in foreign legal terminology (fremdsprachige Rechtskenntnisse).
Students from early semesters as well as exchange students are welcome.
Grading will be based 1/3 on the oral performance (presentation of 15- 20 minutes (2/9) and participation in class discussions (1/9)) and 2/3 on the written paper (15 pages excl. references etc.).
Notice for students from Modern East Asian Studies (MEAS): This course is open for MEAS students as (legal) elective. Exam registration with Philprom via QIS/LSF is required. Requirements for credit as above, but grading will be based exclusively on the written paper (as the Study Rules do not allow for considering the oral performance).
All further information on the course will be made available on OLAT