Raising Points of Law on the Courts' Own Motion?

Abstract

This article examines how judges can raise points of law ex officio in a comparative context. Based on Schlesinger's case oriented factual method, it compares the relevant provisions of Italian, Hungarian, Swiss, French, Belgian, German and Austrian civil procedure. The main conclusion is that there is no common legal solution in Europe and that the national legal systems developed divergent approaches. However, two models can be identified: in the first system, the principle of judicial passivity plays a crucial role, while the second one is based on a general authorization under strict control with special regard to the requirements of a fair trial. Because of this duality, this paper argues that a unified model does not actually exist. However, contrary to the apparent divergences, a common core composed of two elements can be drafted.