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AUTHORITY OF ENGLISH APPELLATE COURTS' JURISPRUDENCE BEFORE AUSTRALIAN SUPREME COURTS

NCJ Number
50723
Journal
UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA LAW REVIEW Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 229-307
Author(s)
J K BENTIL
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE IMPACT OF DECISIONS OR PRONOUNCEMENTS ON GENERAL POINTS OF LAW MADE BY THE ENGLISH COURT OF APPEAL AND THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON PRONOUNCEMENTS MADE BY AUSTRALIAN COURTS IS ASSESSED.
Abstract
COURTS IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND QUEENSLAND HAVE TENDED TO TREAT PRONOUNCEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH COURT OF APPEAL ON GENERAL POINTS OF LAW AS BINDING. OTHER AREAS OF AUSTRALIA, HOWEVER, DO NOT VIEW THESE PRONOUNCEMENTS AS BINDING. IN ADDITION TO CASES INVOLVING THE ENGLISH COURT OF APPEAL, LITIGATION IS CITED WHICH DEMONSTRATES THAT THE IMPACT OF DECISIONS MADE BY THE HOUSE OF LORDS NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY EXAMINED IN TERMS OF THEIR ACCEPTANCE BY AUSTRALIAN COURTS. IN GENERAL, IT APPEARS THAT MOST AUSTRALIAN COURTS HAVE ADOPTED A MODIFIED ATTITUDE TOWARD THE AUTHORITATIVE FORCE OF PRONOUNCEMENTS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COMMON LAW, CONSIDERING THESE PRONOUNCEMENTS TO BE PERSUASIVE RATHER THAN BINDING. BECAUSE CERTAIN PRONOUNCEMENTS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS ARE CONTROVERSIAL, IT MAY NOT BE RATIONAL TO TREAT SUCH JUDICIAL DECISIONS AS BINDING ON ANY COMMON LAW COURT OUTSIDE OF ENGLAND. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A STRONG BELIEF BY THE AUSTRALIAN JUDICIARY IN ITS OWN DECISIONS AND PRONOUNCEMENTS ON THE LAW GENERALLY AND ON COMMON LAW PARTICULARLY IS ESSENTIAL IF JUSTICE IS TO BE DELIVERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PREVAILING LOCAL CONDITIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. (DEP)

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