2. avoid conflict
“Legal ethics”
3. maintain confidentiality
（律师-当事人保密协议）
---the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
“go over the limits”?
suspended
吊销执照
4. Precedent
• Stare Decisis “遵从先例”
• Case Law “判例法”
• Common Law Legal System “普通法系”
先例是已经判决的案件和 法院的判决，为后来发生
的案件提供法律依据，法 院按照先例确定的原则审
判，判例法就是司法判决 确立的原则和规则的总称。
探寻真相
• the judge:
observer，
“ 我是中立的”
manager，
neutral decision-maker
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
1. The Adveis provided an opportunity to present his or her best case.
achievement: intrinsic satisfaction
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
4. Precedent
• implement important legal values of fairness and stability.
• increase the transparency of legal
“Double track system”双轨制
Federal Courts:
50个州法院系统、联邦法院系统
State Courts： 和首都哥伦比亚特区法院系统；
联邦与州法院管辖范围可能有重 叠，但组织上 没有隶属关系
“Jurisdiction” 管辖权
Three tiered Model
Trial Court （Court of First Instance) 初审法院/一审法院
2020/5/18
Federal Constitution Federal laws, treaties, and court procedures
Federal regulations Federal Common law
State constitution State laws and court procedures
American Legal Culture
Chapter 1
General Introduction
defense lawyer 辩方律师
the jury 陪审团
2020/5/18
the judge
Who are the people in the courtroom？
defendent
prosecutor 公诉人
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
8. Constitution
• 《美国宪法规定实行联邦制，肯定了以立 法、行政、司法三权分立相互制衡为原则 的资产阶级民主共和体.
• 《美国宪法》由原文和23个修正案组成， 宪法原文包括序言和7条正文。
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
Maintaining public confidence in the fairness,competence,and impartiality of every judge is fundamental to the entire system of law.
• internalized judicial norms • self-perception of fairness, prestige ,or high
• higher social status
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
3. The role of judge
justified decision/precedent
Code of Conduct for U.S Judges the Code of Judicial Conduct the Judicial Conduct Commission
Judicial salaries: being protected /public information federal judges: $165,200 per year
state judges:set by the state legislature,based on the local cost of living. (California:an average of $207,612 each year.)
• Direct and cross examination
• 直接询问和交叉 询问
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
2. The role of lawyer
The Hero-Villain Dichotomy(双重角色）
Voicing for the poor and vulnerable?
从先例”（
）仍然是美
国司法活动中最重要的原则之一。
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
5. Court System
“Double track system”双轨制
Federal Court
V.S State Court
The Court Systems of the United States
遵循先例是判例法形成的 基础，而判例法又是普通 法的重要特征。
Common Law
Legal System (普通法系）
两个基本特点：
I. 分散制 decentralization II. 判例法 case law
Ⅰ. Decentrali zation
“A country of many governments”
State regulations State common law
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
7. Criminal procedure
the mechanism through which crimes are investigated.
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
2020/5/18
2020/5/18
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
w of the U.S
• constitutional law • statutary law
美国50个州和联邦政府均有各 自的宪法和刑法典。刑法典每
• treaties
一部与其他50部均不同。
美国除联邦政府外，还有州政府、 县政府、市政府等，而且这些政 府都是相互独立的，各自在其管 辖范围内享有一定的立法权和执 法权。
II. Case Law
“fragmental nosystem”
美国的法律体系是一个“零散的无
系统”。诚然，美国现在有很多成
文法或制定法，但是其法律制度
任然以判例法为主。换言之，“遵
Stare Decisis “遵从先例” process
The
by which judges are
bound to respect the precedents
established by prior decisions is
known as stare decisis.
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
Appellate Court (Court of Second Instance) Supreme Court
First Instance
Two-tiered trial system两审终审制——— Right
Appeal to the Supreme Court---------- power (Leave to Appeal or Writ of Certiorari)调卷令
• administrative regulations
• common law
Law of the U.S
Statues>common law Federal law>state law Constitution>other law Acts> regulations
Different levels: higher level> lower level Same level: new law>old law
V.S
“How can you tell when a lawyer is lying?” “His lips are moving.”
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
2. The role of lawyer
Core Duties
1. provide zealous representation
unpopular clients non-accountability within the bounds of law
Feature （特点）of American Legal System
3. The role of judge
Discretion
• Judge-made law • pervasive judicial discretion/discretionary authority