This document is a summary of all information provided during lectures and working groups of substantive criminal law, it contains concise information required for the exam along with steps to solving exam questions.
Knowledge questions for the exam are from weekly questions.
LEGALITY PRINCIPLE
One of the most important principles in criminal law.
1. German Constitution: -"An act can only be punished if its criminality had been
legally determined before the act was committed."
2. European Convention on Human Rights: "No one shall be held guilty of any
criminal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a
criminal offence under national or international law at the time when it was
committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was
applicable at the time the criminal offence was committed"
Justifications for legality principle: 1. Foreseeability of criminal liability (citizens
have a right to know which acts lead to which consequences). This is a fairness
principle. 2. Influencing behaviour (announcements for the purposes of changing
behaviour).
PROHIBITION OF RETROACTIVE EFFECT
Not allowed to punish an individual if the act was committed before the offence
punishment was enforced.
Lex Mitior clause - If the law that was effective at the time of the completion of the
offence is changed before the judgement, the most lenient law is to be applied:
- Cancellation or restriction of a criminal provision.
- Mitigation of the punishment.
- New grounds of justification or excuse.
PROHIBITION OF VAGUE LAWS
Lex certa
Criminal statutes have to be sufficiently precise.
,The defendant will not be punished if the criminal provision is too vague.
The standard for prohibiting a vague law is difficult to obtain as vague terms cannot
be avoided completely, for otherwise the legislator could not do justice to the
diversity of life, the change of conditions, and the particularities of the respective
case.
PROHIBITION OF ANALOGY
Lex Stricta
The application of a rule to cases that are not covered any more by the statute's
wording, but whose inclusion into the rule's range of application is indicated by the
sense and purpose of the statute.
The current literal definition of the criminal offence must be considered when
interpreting the case.
Legislative History is another method of interpretation which is the consideration of
the statute’s legislative history.
The system of the criminal law code is the consideration of multiple articles that deal
with a specific case.
The meaning and purpose of the statute must be taken into consideration.
When a statute is ambiguous, it should be interpreted in the favour of the
defendant.
PROHIBITION OF CUSTOMARY LAWS
Lex scripta
, Courts should base criminal liability only on written statutes as opposed to
customary laws.
JUSTIFICATION OF PUNISHMENT
Punishment has generally applicable characteristics:
It is assumed to be unpleasant for the recipient.
Punishment is intentional.
Response to breaking the law.
Person punished has broken the law.
It is the belief of the person who ordered the punishment whether it settles the
question of if it is punishment or not.
RETRIBUTIVISM UTILITARIANISM
- Punishment is deserved. - Punishment is useful.
- Deontological (doing the right - Consequentialism (predicting
thing). and preventing).
- Backward-looking (focus on the - Forward-looking (deterrence).
crimes and its worthiness of the - Punishment of evil.
punishment).
- Punishment is good.
POSITIVE RETRIBUTIVISM
The guilty must be punished to the extent of their deserts.
NEGATIVE RETRIBUTIVISM
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