在司法能动与司法节制之间——香港法院本土司法审查技术的观察

An Observation for Hong Kong Courts' Judicial Review

人权法案时代,香港法院司法审查的基调曾由对立法进行严苛审查趋向于后来的尊重行政机关、立法机关在政策制定中的优势。而到了基本法时代,越来越多的行政行为及立法可被质疑是否与《基本法》一致,传统上被视为不宜司法化的政治、经济、社会问题也突破理论的藩篱涌入法院。香港法院延续了人权保障领域的能动状态,但在面对涉及经济、社会、文化权利的案件以及政治性案件时,香港法院又发展出一套基于司法技术理性的司法节制,以期维护特别行政区法治的统一与稳定。可以预见的是,香港法院仍需在后续的审查实践中结合具体案件厘清法院司法审查权力的界限,避免介入高度政治性的争议,以恪守普通法体制下司法机关的角色。

Early in the era of Bill of Rights,Hong Kong courts had reviewed legislation stringently and then tended to respect executive,legislature branches in policy formulation.Later in the era of Basic Law,agrowing number of administrative and legislative action can be challenged with Basic Law inconsistently and even political,economical and social issues which should not be seen as judicial issues have sprung up.Hong Kong courts continue with judicial activism of human rights protection,but in the face of cases of economy,society,culture and politics,Hong Kong courts have developed the judicial restraint based on technical rationality in order to preserve the rule of law in HKSAR.It is foreseeable that Hong Kong courts will still clarify the limits of judicial power and avoid involvement in highly political controversy,in order to abide the role of courts in base of the common law.