The Legal Culture of the European Court of Human Rights (The Raoul Wallenberg Institute Human Rights Library)

Without understanding the legal culture of the judges a full understanding of Strasbourg's rulings seems hardly possible. Through interviews, field observations and case law analysis, this book fills this need and offers a fresh approach towards convergence in Europe. Contents ......Page 6 Preface by Professor Corneliu Bîrsan......Page 8 Preface by Leif Holmström......Page 10 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: THE JIGSAW PUZZLE OF EUROPE......Page 12 1.1. The Historical Origin of the Problem......Page 13 1.2. Europe Today......Page 17 1.3. Location of the Study in Current Legal Debate......Page 20 1.4. Literature Review......Page 24 1.5. Hypothesis......Page 26 1.6.1. Overview of the Chapters......Page 27 1.6.2. Data......Page 28 2.1.1. Historical and Political Embedding......Page 30 2.1.2. The Convention......Page 33 2.1.3. Former Two-Tier System......Page 34 2.2.1. The Iron Curtain Fell......Page 35 2.2.2. The Main Features Changed by Reform......Page 38 2.3. Power and Reach of the Court......Page 40 2.3.1. Impact of the Judgments of the Court on National Legal Systems......Page 42 2.3.2. Individual Remedies......Page 45 2.5. The Court's Legal Doctrines......Page 48 2.5.1. 'Margin of Appreciation' Doctrine......Page 49 2.5.2. 'In the Light of Current Society' Doctrine......Page 50 2.5.3. Concluding Comment......Page 51 CHAPTER 3 ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE......Page 52 3.1.1. The Staff......Page 54 3.1.2. The Registry......Page 55 3.1.3. The Judges......Page 57 3.2.1. Creation of the Organisation......Page 64 3.2.2. Different Panels......Page 66 3.3.1. First Stage: The Application......Page 70 3.3.2. Next Stage: The Judge Rapporteur......Page 72 3.3.3. Last Stage: The Deliberations......Page 74 CHAPTER 4 ATTITUDES AND DYNAMICS AMONGST THE JUDGES......Page 78 4.2.1. Historical-Political Background......Page 80 4.2.2. Vocational Background......Page 83 4.2.3. Geographical-Legal Background......Page 85 4.3.1. Equality......Page 89 4.3.3. Urge for Quality......Page 90 4.4.1. The Melting Pot......Page 91 4.4.2. Homogenity......Page 93 5.1. Introduction......Page 96 5.2.1. Set of Data......Page 98 5.3.1. Rate of Homogeneity at the Court in General......Page 102 5.3.2. Screening Background and Dissent......Page 105 5.4. Voting Behaviour by Subject Matter......Page 114 5.4.1. Evaluations of Categories Under Article 8......Page 115 5.4.2. Evaluation of Categories Under Article 9......Page 118 5.4.3. Evaluation of Categories Under Article 10......Page 119 5.5. Putting the Judgments Under a Microscope......Page 121 5.5.1. Cases Under Article 8......Page 122 5.5.2. Cases Under Article 9......Page 142 5.5.3. Cases Under Article 10......Page 154 5.6. Outcome of the Three-Step Testing......Page 163 5.7. The Testing in Context of the Literature......Page 165 CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION......Page 170 Index......Page 174 Bibliography......Page 178 Appendix Digest of Judgments (Delivered to the Merits) of the European Court of Human Rights Concerning Articles 8, 9 and 10 between 1 November 1998 and 31 October 2001......Page 196 While the supervision of the European Court of Human Rights constantly grows in importance, little is known about the people, especially the judges, inside the Court. To what extent are human rights sensitive to different traditions and is their work burdened through the plurality of legal, historical-political or vocational experiences among the judges? Looking at the first three years of permanent operation of the Court, this book suggests that it is the legal culture that brings the judges together. Based on interviews, field study observations and an analysis of case law, this book takes a novel approach on European human rights law and provides researchers and practitioners with an important basis for a full understanding of the Strasbourg case law. Without understanding the legal culture of the judges a full understanding of Strasbourg's rulings seems hardly possible. Through interviews, field observations and case law analysis, this book aims to fill this need and offers a fresh approach towards convergence in Europe Based on interviews, field study observations and an analysis of case law, this book takes a novel approach on European human rights law and provides researchers and practitioners with an important basis for a full understanding of the Strasbourg case law."--Jacket Introduction: the jigsaw puzzle of Europe Background of the Court from its creation to its enlargement Administration of justice Attitudes and dynamics amongst the judges Testing the legal culture of the court Conclusion.