The Margin of Appreciation Doctrine in the Dynamics of European Human Rights Jurisprudence is the first full-length monograph to treat this subject, which is of central importance to the interpretation and application of the European Convention on Human Rights. It will enrich the understanding and appreciation of judges, advocates, civil servants, scholars, researchers, students, and indeed of anyone whose life and work is affected by national and international human rights adjudication. This thorough and learned analysis synthesizes the work of the Strasbourg judicial organs, proceeding in the light of the ongoing debates on the appropriate place of the margin doctrine in the Strasbourg jurisprudence. The author's rich conclusions add texture and perspective to the future judicial and scholarly dialogues which will no doubt continue to surround this subject matter. The text is eminently readable, written in a clear and precise style to be appreciated by the novice and specialist alike. The newcomer to human rights and to the Convention will find it an inviting introduction to complex material; the expert will gain new and expanded insights into the development of the case law rarely to be found in this breadth and depth.

5.2.3. Burden of Proof

The term 'margin of appreciation' has been used for some time to refer to the room for manoeuvre that the Strasbourg institutions are prepared to accord national authorities in fulfilling some of their principal obligations under the European Convention for Human Rights. This document proposes how the meaning of the term may be given greater clarity, coherence and consistency.

Court of Human Rights:.

At fifty, the European Court of Human Rights finds itself in a new institutional setting. With the EU joining the European Convention on Human Rights in the near future, and the Court increasingly having to address the responsibility of states in UN-lead military operations, the Court faces important challenges at the national, European and international levels. In light of recent reform discussions, this volume addresses the multi-level relations of the Court by drawing on existing debates, pointing to current deficits and highlighting the need for further improvements.

What role do the people play in defining and developing human rights? This volume explores the very topical issue of the lack of democratic legitimisation of national and international courts and the question of whether rendering the original process of defining human rights more democratic at the national and international level would improve the degree of protection they afford. The authors venture to raise the crucial question: When can a democratic society be considered to be mature enough so as to be trusted to provide its own definition of human rights obligations?

This book describes and analyzes the structure, procedure, practice and emerging jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The form and functions of the Court are considered in the context of the Inter-American system as a whole, and the development of its contentious and advisory jurisdictions is discussed in detail. Particular attention is devoted to the Court's present contribution to the corpus of international human rights law, in which parallels are drawn with other analogous institutions where appropriate. Finally, an attempt is made to identify the ideological assumptions which influence the Court's emerging jurisprudence and an assessment is made of the Court's future prospects. While the structure of the court and its jurisprudence lie broadly within traditional concepts of international human rights law, there are certain distinctive features which emanate from the geo-political and socio-economic context within which the Court functions. These factors are considered as an integral part of the work.