Legal Interpretation and the Vietnamese Version of the Rule of Law

本文旨在呈現法律解釋在越南的圖像及其在改革過程中的運用。當越南已完全地融合於全球經濟時,國際社群即持續地要求越南的法律系統必須遵守法治原則。雖然法治的定義仍處於爭辯的狀態,但大多人都同意法治社會是法律透明、連貫、一致與可被理解的地方。在這個制度中,法律解釋的重要性是在確保法律可被平等地適用於每一個人身上。其次,有效的法律解釋需要某些制度的條件和原則。本文將在越南轉型法律制度的脈絡下檢驗這些議題。在越南的轉型法律制度下法律並非與其執行及解釋有必要的相關性,法律的解釋仍僅被作是造法的補充程序。本文首先鳥瞰越南的法律制度,其提供了一個法律解釋運作的架構。之後,本文評價許多非正式且型塑法律解釋的因素,這些因素包括了立法與制度的條件,社群的規範,傳統實踐與國際影響。

This paper aims to present a picture of legal interpretation in Vietnam and its implications for the reform process. As Vietnam integrates itself fully into the global economy, the international community continually urges Vietnam to change its system to adhere to the rule of law. Although the definition of `rule of law' is still subject to debate, it is widely agreed that a rule-of-law society is one in which law is transparent, coherent, consistent, and understandable. In these systems, legal interpretation is important in ensuring that law is applied equally to everyone. Efficient legal interpretation, in turn, requires certain institutional settings and principles. I will examine these issues in the context of the Vietnamese transitional legal system where law is not necessarily associated with enforceability and legal interpretation and explanation are still treated as processes supplementary to lawmaking. The paper starts with an overview of the legal system, as this is the framework in which legal interpretation operates. It will then assess various factors that inform and shape legal interpretation, including legislative and institutional settings, community norms and traditional practice, and international influence.