Perception of Abortion and Abortion Laws by Lawyers in Anambra State Nigeria

Abortion is the knowing destruction of the life of an unborn child in the womb other than for the principal purpose of producing a life birth or removal of a dead tissue. The Nigeria law stipulates that abortion is allowed only where there is risk to the life of the woman and or to her physical or mental health. This study is aimed at determining the perception of abortion and the relevant laws by lawyers in Anambra State, Nigeria. It is a descriptive cross sectional study carried out between May-June 2010 using pre-tested self administered questionnaires to collect data from consenting 200 lawyers in the 3 major towns of Anambra State. All the respondents knew about abortion, recognized health hazards associated with it and mentioned infertility as the major complication of abortion (53%) followed by death (52.5%) and bleeding (42.5%). About 80% of respondents said abortion should be allowed in cases of danger to woman’s life, rape or incest. Eighty-five percent of the lawyers were aware of the existing abortion law in Nigeria and 76.5% of this knew abortion was legal only to save the life of the woman. Only 26% were in support of legalization of abortion. The Lawyers recommended health education and family planning, among others as means of preventing abortion and its complications. Stigma associated with abortion should be removed to improve free reporting of abortion cases for legal actions. Further research should involve other stakeholders on abortion to make for a holistic approach to the problem.

The Lawyer and His Client

A certain lawyer lived in a city in the north of India.One dayhe had his photograph taken.In the photograph he appeared wear-ing English clothes,coat,waistcoat,trousers,boots,collar and tie.And over them was his lawyer’s gown.And his two hands were

Symposium on Lawyers' Role in Pretrial Procedures

More than 70 law experts, lawyers and prosecutors attended a symposium held in Beijing of late on the role lawyers should play in pre-trial procedures. The symposium was sponsored jointly by the State Institute for Prosecutors, the Center for Research of Procedural Laws under the China Political Science and Law University and the Criminal Defense Committee of the All-China Lawyers＇ Association. This report highlights the debate that took place during the symposium.

Lawyers' Role Greater in China's Legal System——A review of legal services in China over the past two decades

Lawyers play no small a role in improving China’s legal system, which comes along with the country’s endeavor to build a market-oriented economy and open to the outside world. Legal services provided by lawyers have virtually become available to all sectors of society since the country adopted the policy of reform and opening up in the late 1970s.

Right to Resignation——Thoughts of a lawyer

One day in March 2000, a young man came to the Qiankun Lawyer’s Office, asking for help in a labor dispute. He is Tong Li, 25. He signed a "life-long" labor contract with the Beijing Fenghua Engineering Co. Ltd. in June 1999. On January 5 of the following year, however, he demanded termination of the contract on account that he was far from home and he had to take care of his ailing mother. But he was refused. Later on, the workers’ congress of the company issued the rules on the management of labor contract and its detailed implementation rules.

The Rights of Persons Charged with Penal Offences to Access to Lawyers——A comparison between international and domestic laws

I. Getting help from lawyers and its realization according to international standards The right to defense for a person involving in a law suit is a universal human right. Article 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides： ＂Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.＂ This means （1） the right to defence is a basic human right due to all persons charged with a penal offence; （2） it is a basic requirement for the principle of presumption of innocence and fair trial; and （3） the realization of the fight needs practical and effective guarantees.

Lawyers, Stepping into Life of Ordinary Chinese People

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国内民事诉讼律师调查令制度建设存在的若干问题探讨

我国法院经过不断探索,建立了律师调查令制度。目前,律师调查令制度存在着需要进一步完善的若干问题。律师持令调查行为的性质、调查令申请条件、听取证据持有人意见、调查令跨省适用等若干方面均有必要进一步厘清或改进。关于律师持令调查行为的性质,需要在“公的性质”基础上,从证据持有人维护司法秩序义务之角度加以审视。调查令的申请条件有必要取消“因客观原因无法自行调查收集证据”的规定,避免制度上的逻辑性矛盾。应当建立听取证据持有人意见的程序,维护证据持有人的合法权益。律师调查令制度应当允许跨省适用,提高律师证据调查收集的效率与实效性。

《刑事诉讼法》再修改中辩护制度的完善

刑事辩护制度发达与否是衡量一个国家民主法治与人权保障程度的重要标志。经过40多年的发展,中国刑事辩护制度取得了很大的成就,但从司法实践以及同其他法治国家的比较来看,中国刑事辩护制度还存在进一步完善的空间。具体而言,应当在《刑事诉讼法》再修改中将指定法律援助辩护的范围扩大至可能判处3年以上有期徒刑的案件;依法保障辩护律师三项基本诉讼权利的行使、确立讯问犯罪嫌疑人律师在场制度、在职务犯罪案件的调查留置期间允许律师介入,以更好地实现惩罚犯罪与保障人权的平衡。

道路通向市场——民事执行体制改革新论

我国民事执行体制以执行机构附设于法院为起点,逐渐演变为隶属于法院,是多种历史因素作用下的结果,亦将随着时代背景的变迁而变革。从域外看,走向市场化、扩大市场化、深化市场化,已成为不少国家民事执行体制发展的共同趋势。随着财政负担日益加重,我国民事执行体制改革只能在不增加财政负担乃至适度减轻财政负担的前提下,维持执行效率不降低、执行到位率有提升,进而提高民众对民事执行的获得感。应设立作为自由职业者的执行律师,先由其负责金钱债权“终本”案件的执行,再扩大其执行权能范围。通过市场化改革,可以弥补财政资源的不足,打造共建共治共享的社会治理共同体,实现中国式民事执行体制的现代化。

涉外法治人才的分类与培养模式探讨

习近平总书记指出:“要加强涉外法治人才建设”。涉外法治人才包括涉外法律人才和国际法治人才。他们因工作侧重点不同,职业素养和外语能力要求也不一样。涉外法律人才与国内其他类型的法律人才没有本质区别,都是适用中国法律解决具体问题,只不过涉外法律人才因其工作的涉外特点,还要了解相关国家的法律和掌握这个国家的语言。国际法治人才是适用国际规则处理国与国之间的关系和解决全人类共同关心的问题。因此,除了熟悉相关国际条约,国际法治人才还必须精通国际通用的工作语言。涉外法律人才用他们的法律专业知识化解各类涉外纠纷,推动我国的经济建设和对外开放;国际法治人才在处理好国与国关系的同时,还要履行维护世界和平、促进全人类共同繁荣的使命。

刑事申诉审查制度改革研究

刑事申诉案件的审查是非常重要的特别救济程序,但我国法律一直没有将这一审查活动纳入诉讼程序的轨道,相关规定散见于司法解释和规范性文件中。目前我国的刑事申诉审查存在审查主体多元化、审查内容和程序不完善、配套制度作用发挥不到位等问题,因此,需要对刑事申诉审查制度进行改革探索,取消法院审查主体地位,在检察机关内部设立相对独立的刑事申诉案件审查委员会对申诉案件进行实质性审查;区分形式审查和实质审查,构建刑事申诉审查程序;完善律师代理刑事申诉制度,规范刑事申诉案件异地审查制度,提高刑事申诉审查质效,并逐步将其确立为正式的刑事诉讼制度,推动刑事诉讼立法的发展。

平等权视角下的法律援助制度研究——以值班律师“同案不同援”问题为切入点

党的二十大提出“建设覆盖城乡的现代公共法律服务体系”,这彰显公共法律服务均等化发展的理念。法律援助作为现代公共法律服务体系的重要组成部分,其均等化更是在诉讼中实现公民平等权的应有之义。然而值班律师作为我国最重要的法律援助形式之一,其实践运行中“同案不同援”的问题显著,具体表现为值班律师个体能力参差、尽职程度差异明显以及诉讼权利受限等,这也严重影响了刑事诉讼中被追诉人的平等权保障。而且,值班律师是“认罪认罚从宽”“律师辩护全覆盖”等改革的重要组成部分,而如何提升法律帮助效果直接关涉改革的正当性基础。值班律师的公设辩护人化改革是解决问题的关键。具体而言,应推进值班律师队伍构成的一元化建设,提升与优化配置值班律师的津贴补助,同时落实认罪认罚从宽制度下值班律师的各项职责。

职业压力对律师心理健康状态的影响:自我调节疲劳的中介作用和健康素养的调节作用

背景 律师是压力较大的行业之一,然而国内关于律师职业压力的研究较少。既往研究表明律师职业压力、心理健康状态、自我调节疲劳、健康素养具有相关性,但缺乏对其相互作用机制的研究。目的 探讨职业压力对律师心理健康状态的影响及自我调节疲劳和健康素养的内在作用机制。方法 2022年5—6月采用方便取样法选取7家头部中资律所中的660位律师为研究对象。调查问卷包括自编人口学问卷、律师职业压力量表、症状自评量表(SCL-90)、自我调节疲劳量表(SRF-S)和全国居民健康素养监测快速评估调查问卷(HLSRAQ)。采用逐步回归法探讨自我调节疲劳在律师职业压力与心理健康状态间的中介作用,使用Bootstrap法检验自我调节疲劳的中介效应。采用PROCESS 3.4中的模型5探讨健康素养在律师职业压力与心理健康状态间的调节中介作用,使用Bootstrap法检验健康素养的调节中介效应,进一步进行简单斜率检验调节作用,并分析不同健康素养水平下职业压力对律师心理健康状态的影响。结果 回收有效问卷656份,有效回收率为99.39%。律师职业压力、SCL-90、SRF-S、HLSRAQ得分为(106.9±34.8)、39.0(15.0,84.0)、(39.4±10.0)、(13.9±3.7)分。逐步回归法最终结果显示,律师职业压力正向预测心理健康状态(β=0.36,t=13.40,P<0.01),自我调节疲劳正向预测心理健康状态(β=0.55,t=20.32,P<0.01);Bootstrap法结果显示律师职业压力对心理健康状态产生影响的总效应、间接效应和直接效应的95%CI均不包括0(P<0.01)。调节中介作用分析表明,律师职业压力与健康素养的乘积项对心理健康状态的预测作用有统计学意义(β=-0.02,t=-2.00,P<0.05),Bootstrap法结果显示律师职业压力对心理健康状态产生影响的间接效应的95%CI均不包括0(P<0.01);进一步简单斜率检验结果显示,不同健康素养水平下,律师职业压力对心理健康状态正向预测作用均有统计学意义(P<0.01);随着健康素养水平的提高,职业压力对心理健康状态的预测作用呈下降趋势(P<0.01)。结论 职业压力通过自我调节疲劳的中介作用对律师心理健康状态产生影响,律师健康素养在其中起调节作用。