Arguing About Goals: The Diminishing Scope of Legal Reasoning

Pauline Westerman

doi:10.1007/s10503-009-9172-9

Argumentation May 2010 Open Access

Arguing About Goals: The Diminishing Scope of Legal Reasoning

Pauline Westerman University of Groningen

Abstract

This article investigates the implications of goal-legislation for legal argumentation. In goal-regulation the legislator formulates the aims to be reached, leaving it to the norm-addressee to draft the necessary rules. On the basis of six types of hard cases, it is argued that in such a system there is hardly room for constructing a ratio legis. Legal interpretation is largely reduced to concretisation. This implies that legal argumentation tends to become highly dependent on expert (non-legal) knowledge.

Journal: Argumentation
Published: 2010-05-01
DOI: 10.1007/s10503-009-9172-9
CompPile
Open Access: OA PDF Hybrid
Topics: argument
Export: BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

Zenker et al. (2024)

Norms of Public Argumentation and the Ideals of Correctness and Participation

Argumentation

References (12) · 1 in this index

A Barak (2005)

Purposive interpretation in law

↗
Black, J. 2008. ‘Forms and paradoxes of principles based regulation’, LSE Law, Society and Economy Working Pa…
Plug (2005)

Reconstructing and Evaluating Genetic Arguments in Judicial Decisions

Argumentation
Gestel, R. van, and J. Verschuuren. 2001. Alara: minimumregel of beginsel met aspiraties? In: P.C. Gilhuis en…
J Hage (1997)

Hage, J., and M. Visser. 1997. Voorwaarden van regeltoepassing. Rechtsfilosofie & Rechtstheorie 26/3: 196–212.

Rechtsfilosofie & Rechtstheorie

Show all 12 →

HLA Hart (1961)

The concept of law
Hood, C. 2006. Gaming in targetworld: the targets approach to managing British public services. Public Admini…

↗
D Kennedy (1997)

A critique of adjudication [fin de siecle]
Kennedy, D. 2001. The political stakes in “merely technical” issues of contract law. European Review of Priva…

↗
F Schauer (1991)

Playing by the rules: a philosophical examination of rule-based decision-making in law an…
PC Westerman (2007)

Legislation in context: essays in Legisprudence
Westerman, P.C. (2007). Governing by goals: governance as a legal style. Legisprudence: International Journal…

CrossRef global citation count: 9 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Arguing About Goals: The Diminishing Scope of Legal Reasoning

Abstract

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

References (12) · 1 in this index

Related Articles