The hypothesis of this article is that plain language drafting with innovative drafting techniques can improve the quality of legislation. Further to this, the article tries to prove that quality legislation can also make the law more accessible to its general audience. With regard to quality, the article assesses plain language drafting with innovative drafting techniques using Helen Xanthaki’s criteria of quality in legislation, i.e. that it should be clear, precise and unambiguous. With regard to accessibility, it is defined broadly as to include readability. I will first assess whether plain language drafting with innovative drafting techniques can meet the expectations of its general audience and second discuss whether legislation drafted in plain language with innovative techniques passes the usability tests. |
Search result: 5184 articles
Article |
Plain LanguageA Promising Tool for Quality Legislation |
Journal | European Journal of Law Reform, Issue 4 2018 |
Keywords | plain language, clarity, precision, accessibility, interpretation |
Authors | Kally K.L. Lam LLB |
AbstractAuthor's information |
Article |
The Suprema Lex of MaltaA Forgotten Law in Legislative Drafting, Statutory Interpretation and Law Making? |
Journal | European Journal of Law Reform, Issue 4 2018 |
Keywords | Maltese Law, legislative drafting, statutory interpretation, law making, supreme law |
Authors | Kevin Aquilina |
AbstractAuthor's information |
Although the Constitution of Malta is the supreme law of the land, yet, in practice, the three principal organs of the state – the legislature, executive and judiciary – have, in certain respects exemplified in this article, tended to close their eyes to the provisions of the supreme law of the land to such an extent that legislation, government action and judicial pronouncements have breached the basic law. Without attempting to be all-inclusive, the article discusses a few illustrations where this has been the case and reflects upon this institutional behaviour where the Constitution is not upheld as the supreme law of Malta but is instead derided and disparaged. Consequently, fundamental principles of state governance such as the tenets of a democratic society and the rule of law end up being threatened and imperilled by those same institutions which are called upon to respect them. Nevertheless, the Constitution proclaims itself supreme over any other law and the organs it establishes, including the three principal organs of the state which are assaulting it, and embodies within its fold the rule of law which at the current state of play is passing through a critical phase in the state of Malta. |
Introduction |
De macht van partijen in België sinds 1981 – particratie revisited |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Karel Van Nieuwenhuyse, Stefaan Fiers and Frederik Verleden |
Author's information |
Symposium |
Politicologie en politici, twee aparte werelden |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Carl Devos |
Author's information |
Article |
Ze halen hun slag wel thuisOver particratie en het aanpassingsvermogen van Belgische partijen |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Keywords | dealignment, electoral support, federalism, gender, particracy, personalisation |
Authors | Jean-Benoit Pilet and Petra Meier |
AbstractAuthor's information |
Particracy has been widely used to describe Belgian politics after World War II. Yet, Belgian politics has changed. We examine five changes – the federalisation of the state architecture, diversification of the demos, erosion of political support, party’s dealignment and personalisation of politics – to evaluate how they have affected particracy in Belgium. The answer is twofold: particracy is still very strong, but it has changed. The three traditional party families that had institutionalised particracy in Belgium (Christian-democrats, socialists and liberals) had to face new challengers. They co-opted the most moderate ones (greens, regionalists), while excluding others (radical right/left). Intraparty democracy/participatory/transparency reforms, or changes to the electoral system, all of them opening the political system, were also implemented, but parties were able to overcome them. Yet, the ever-growing gap between traditional parties and citizens and the growth of new parties building upon voters’ dissatisfaction with traditional parties, may put particracy more radically into question. |
Research Note |
Parlementarisering als tweerichtingsverkeerEen verklaring voor voorafgaande parlementaire consultatie bij militaire operaties |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Daan Fonck and Yf Reykers |
Author's information |
Research Note |
Het potentieel van denktanks als strategische partner in beleidsvorming |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Bert Fraussen and Darren Halpin |
Author's information |
Symposium |
Politicologie hoeft niet ten dienste te staan van de politici |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Kris Deschouwer |
Author's information |
Essay |
La Belgique confédérale wil unitair beleid voeren zonder democratie |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Wilfried Dewachter |
Author's information |
Symposium |
Slechts nu en dan een bui |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Joop van Holsteyn |
Author's information |
Symposium |
Waarom Dewachter gelijk heeft |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Bart Maddens |
Author's information |
Symposium |
De revolutie eet haar eigen kinderen op |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Marc Hooghe |
Author's information |
Article |
Twee handen op één buik?Hoe en waarom de mediatisering van de Vlaamse politiek en particratie hand in hand gaan |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Keywords | mediatisation, particracy, media logic |
Authors | Peter Van Aelst |
AbstractAuthor's information |
There is a growing consensus that politics have become mediatised. News media have become more independent and are more guided by their own routines and standards and less by what political actors deem important. However, this paper argues that this has not led to a decrease of the power of political parties. In Belgium, particracy and mediatisation seem to go hand in hand. There are mainly two reasons for this. Firstly, media attention focuses heavily on politicians with power and in that sense, media logic and party logic overlap. Secondly, parties have adjusted well to the media and their logic, among others by integrating journalists in the party organisation. We expect that social media will gradually become more important for politicians, but that this evolution too will change little to the central position of political parties in our democracy. |
Symposium |
Relatie politicologie-politiek is veranderd, maar niet verslechterd |
Journal | Res Publica, Issue 4 2018 |
Authors | Stefaan Walgrave |
Author's information |
Report |
IISL/ECSL Symposium on the occasion of the 57th Session of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer SpaceVienna International Centre, 9 April 2018 |
Journal | International Institute of Space Law, Issue 10 2018 |
Authors | Thea Flem Dethlefsen, Heejeong Vicky Jeong and Antonino Salmeri |
Author's information |
Response |
Training in restorative justice for sex crimes from the perspective of sexual assault specialists |
Journal | The International Journal of Restorative Justice, Issue 2 2018 |
Authors | Elise C. Lopez DrPH and Mary P. Koss PhD |
Author's information |
Book Review |
Ivo Aertsen and Brunilda Pali (eds.), Critical restorative justice |
Journal | The International Journal of Restorative Justice, Issue 2 2018 |
Authors | Esther Friedman |
Author's information |
Article |
The adventure of the institutionalisation of restorative justice in Belgium |
Journal | The International Journal of Restorative Justice, Issue 2 2018 |
Keywords | Restorative justice, institutionalisation, penal change, Belgium |
Authors | Anne Lemonne |
AbstractAuthor's information |
At first glance, the adventure of restorative justice (RJ) in Belgium can be considered a real success story. At the turn of the 21st century, programmes oriented towards this justice model officially determined the criminal justice agenda. What were the key ideas that led to the conceptualisation of restorative justice in Belgium? Who were the main actors and agencies that carried them out? What were the main issues that led to the institutionalisation of restorative justice? What are the effects of its implementation on the Belgian criminal justice system in general? This article strives to present the main findings of a study on the basis of an extensive data collection effort and analysis targeting discourses and practices created by actors from the Belgian academic, scientific, political, administrative, social work and judicial spheres from the 1980s to 2015. |
Conversations on restorative justice |
|
Journal | The International Journal of Restorative Justice, Issue 2 2018 |
Authors | Albert Dzur |
Author's information |