遲到的正義非正義(英語:Justice delayed is justice denied;也稱遲來的正義非正義遲到的正義不是正義)是一句法律格言英語Legal maxim,意指如果針對受害一方的法律救濟存在但不能及時到來,那與沒有補救措施是一樣的效果。這一理念是要求加快法律體系中迅速審判英語speedy trial或類似權利的基礎,因為受害方必須不公平地承擔解決希望渺茫的持續傷害。這句話已成為法律改革英語Law_reform者的一句口號,用來針對法院政府解決法律問題時的行動緩慢,例如因現有體系過於複雜或負擔過重,或者某一問題或某一方缺乏政治青睞。

起源

首先說出這句話的人難以確定。《Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations》一書將此歸於威廉·格萊斯頓,但無法核證。[1]也有人將其歸於威廉·佩恩的「遲來的正義不公正」("to delay Justice is Injustice")。[2]

這句話能在《Pirkei Avot英語Pirkei Avot》5:7(《米書拿》的彙編,公元前1世紀-公元2世紀)中找到:"Our Rabbis taught: ...The sword comes into the world, because of justice delayed and justice denied..."(「我們的拉比教導:……劍進入了世界,因為正義的延遲和缺失」)[3],以及1215年《大憲章》中第四十條"To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay, right or justice."(「公義不會被任何人拒諸門外或被任何人買通,所有人都受法律保障」[4][5])。納賀蒙尼德認為,葉忒羅在《出埃及記》18:22給出的建議「隨時審判百姓」,是說以色列需要更多法官,否則潛在的訴訟當事人可能因無法找到一名法官審理案件而遭受不公。[6]

馬丁·路德·金在其《Letter from Birmingham Jail英語Letter from Birmingham Jail》信中寫以「justice too long delayed is justice denied」(正義拖延太久則不是正義),這封信在1963年被運出監獄,其中將此署名於「昨日的傑出法學家」("distinguished jurist of yesterday").

美國首席大法官沃倫·厄爾·伯格1970年在美國律師協會的講話中說:"A sense of confidence in the courts is essential to maintain the fabric of ordered liberty for a free people and three things could destroy that confidence and do incalculable damage to society: that people come to believe that inefficiency and delay will drain even a just judgment of its value; that people who have long been exploited in the smaller transactions of daily life come to believe that courts cannot vindicate their legal rights from fraud and over-reaching; that people come to believe the law – in the larger sense – cannot fulfill its primary function to protect them and their families in their homes, at their work, and on the public streets."[7]

倫理原則

迅速做出決策是「判斷 101」的一部分,並在每本司法手冊中都有相應的內容。[8]「法官應該努力以合理的速度履行所有司法職責,包括發表保留的判決。」[9]在加拿大也有類似的規定:「法官應迅速處理所有司法事務...」[10]

變體

中國更常用的格言「正義可能會遲到,但不會缺席」及其變體,被一些觀點認為是該句的謬誤

參見

參考來源

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