07230 - Comparative Judicial Systems

Learning outcomes

Students are expected to know concepts, models and methods of analysis allowing them to understand the role of judicial institutions in contemporary democracies, their influence on collective decisions and the dynamics they may trigger in the political system. By comparing the two main legal traditions - common law and civil law - students will learn to detect similarities, differences and variations concerning the institutional settings of the national cases under exam and will be able to connect their recent evolution with supranational developments.

Course contents

I Introduction: Political system and judicial system - The role of the judge: independence and accountability -The judicialisation of politics

II The judiciary and the political system: The institutional settings: the relevant variables - Cases analysis -The governance of the judiciary

III The relations between justice and politics: The scope of jurisdiction - The role of supreme courts -Access to justice and public prosecution - The powers of the bench: inquisitorial v. accusatorial sytems - The judicial review of legislation: role and functions of constitutional courts - The enforcement of judicial decisions: political factors and the role of public opinion

IV The supranational dimension: The Europena Court of justice - The Ecj and the national courts

Readings/Bibliography

C. Guarnieri e P. Pederzoli, Il sistema giudiziario. L'espansione del potere giudiziario nelle democrazie contemporanee, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017.

(*) A. Panebianco, Il potere, lo Stato, la libertà, Bologna, il Mulino 2004, capitolo IV

(*) P. C. Magalhaes, C. Guarnieri, Y. Kaminis, Democratic Consolidation, Judicial Reform, and the Judicialization of Politics in Southern Europe, in R. Gunther, P.N. Diamandouros, D.A. Sotiropoulus (eds), Democracy and the State in the New Southern Europe, Oxford, Oxford U.P., 2006, pp. 138-196

(*) M. Tabarelli, Le politiche giudiziarie inglesi negli anni 2000, in "Rivista Italiana di Politiche Pubbliche", n. 3, 2010, pp. 115-139

(*) L. Hilbink, The Origins of Positive Judicial Independence, in "World Politics", Vol. 64, No. 4, 2012, pp. 587-621

G. de Vergottini, Oltre il dialogo tra le Corti, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010, capitolo 2 (disponibile su www.darwinbooks.it)

(*) texts will be available on the website of the course.

Teaching methods

Lectures. Depending on the actual number of students, seminars could be held with the active collaboration of participants. 

Assessment methods

Oral exam aimed at assessing the knowledge of the required bibliography, the ability to connect the various parts of the syllabus, and overall the proper use of theories and concepts enabling students to carry out a comparative analysis.

Teaching tools

No slides. When pertinent, institutional web sites will be visited. 

Office hours

See the website of Patrizia Pederzoli