NCJ Number
122939
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Dated: (Autumn 1989) Pages: 166-176
Date Published
1989
Length
11 pages
Annotation
In the United States, and in Western nations generally, interpretation of constitutional provisions and statutes is considered to be the essence of judicial function.
Abstract
In the People's Republic of China, however, the authority and responsibility for such interpretations is vested in the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the supreme legislative body of the land. This interpretive process is little understood outside China, and frequently it is not understood by Chinese lawyers; legal materials generally are not as readily available to lawyers in China as they are to attorneys in Western legal systems. This essay explains how that process of interpretation works, using substantive law only to provide examples of the procedures in operation. The essay assumes that knowledge of this particular process is fully as important as, and much less available than, knowledge of the main areas of substantive Chinese law, and this is a situation which it seeks to alleviate. 2 notes, 21 references. (Author abstract)