Great Britain Vs. China
Topic Question 2 Comparative Project
Promt: 2
Describe a major function of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
Explain one reason for the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United
Kingdom. Explain how membership in the European Union affects the
judicial system in Great Britain. Then, compare the highest level of authority
of your chosen country to the judicial system in Great Britain.
Major Functions Of The Supreme Court (UK)
---> Judicial Review
---> Protects Human/Civil Rights
---> Ruling on devolution disputes
--->Ruling on incompatibility of UK law with European Union (EU) Law
---> Check on legislative-executive power
China
China
UK
Highest Level of Authority in China
- At the highest level is the Supreme Peoples Court (SPC) in Beijing, the premier appellate forum of the land, which supervises the administration of justice by all subordinate "local" and "special" people's courts. It is the court of last resort for the whole People's Republic of China except for Macau and Hong Kong.
- Local Peoples Courts—the courts of the first instance—handle criminal and civil cases. These peoples court make up the remaining three levels of the court system and consist of "high people courts" at the level of the provinces, autonomous regions, and special municipalities; "Intermediate Peoples Court "at the level of prefectures, autonomous prefectures, and municipalities; and "Basic Peoples Courts" at the level of autonomous counties, towns, and municipal districts
Establishments of the Supreme Court in UK
• Improve transparency by clarifying the role of the court
• Separate judicial authority from the House of Lords
• Achieve consistency with international norms
• Resolve devolution disputes
• Achieve Blair-led Labour Party goal
How membership in the EU affects the judicial system in Great Britain
• EU law supersedes UK law in judicial decision making.
• Loss of sovereignty.
• More laws to adjudicate.