Journal Article

The Authority of the Interpretations of the Court of Arbitration

Original title (French): L'autorité des interprétations de la Cour d'Arbitrage

Revue de droit de l'U.L.B., 2002

Written in French — title, summary and keywords translated

Keywords

  • Conciliatory interpretations
  • Court of Arbitration
  • Constitutional review
  • Constitutionally conform interpretation
  • Authority of constitutional decisions
  • Power of judicial interpretation
  • Legitimacy of constitutional judges
  • Alternative provision
  • Private law and constitutionality
  • Legal certainty

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Abstract

Benoit Frydman analyzes the practice of conciliatory interpretations by the Belgian Court of Arbitration, a technique through which the Court proposes a reading of the law that is compatible with the Constitution rather than annulling it. The author argues that this practice is legitimate and indispensable: the Court must take into account the interpretation given by judges to legal provisions, and it is natural for the judge to seek to preserve laws by rectifying them in accordance with the Constitution. Conciliatory interpretations enjoy persuasive authority without being formally binding on other courts.

Read the summary in the original language (French)

Benoit Frydman analyse la pratique des interprétations conciliantes de la Cour d'arbitrage belge, technique par laquelle la Cour propose une lecture de la loi compatible avec la Constitution plutôt que de l'annuler. L'auteur soutient que cette pratique est légitime et indispensable : la Cour doit tenir compte de l'interprétation donnée par les juges aux dispositions légales, et il est naturel que le juge cherche à préserver les lois en les redressant conformément à la Constitution. Les interprétations conciliantes jouissent d'une autorité persuasive sans être formellement contraignantes pour les autres juridictions.

Themes

  • Argumentation & Interpretation
  • Justice, Trials & Courts
  • Rule of Law, Democracy & Human Rights

Full text

This work's full text is available in French →

Cite this work

« L'autorité des interprétations de la Cour d'arbitrage », in La Cour d'arbitrage et le droit privé, Revue de droit de l'U.L.B., n° 25, 2002, pp. 107-127.
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  author = {Frydman, Benoit},
  title = {L'autorité des interprétations de la Cour d'Arbitrage},
  journal = {Revue de droit de l'U.L.B.},
  year = {2002},
  volume = {25},
  number = {25},
  pages = {107--127}
}
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AU  - Frydman, Benoit
TI  - L'autorité des interprétations de la Cour d'Arbitrage
JO  - Revue de droit de l'U.L.B.
PY  - 2002
VL  - 25
IS  - 25
SP  - 107
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