論誠實信用原則之具體化適用——以權利失效、棄權與禁止反言為中心

The Study of the Application in the Materialisation of Principle of Good Faith: Focusing on Invalidation of Right, Waiver and Estoppel

「誠實信用」原則為法律倫理價值的表現，是近代民商法的最高指導原則。權利人及義務人同樣受誠實信用原則的規範，是用以實現公平正義與維護法律秩序的崇高原則。我國民法第148條第2項規定：「行使權利、履行義務應依誠實及信用方法。」此為誠實信用條款，亦是民法上的帝王條款。誠實信用條款除了有道德性、倫理性條款之意義外，其最重要的功能要屬在具體個案中具有補充性規範的機能。然而，抽象原則的條款必須透過具體化的轉換，方能援引適用於個案。本文在為前言後，將從誠實信用原則之意義與功能出發；再來，討論權利失效理論在實體法與程序法之適用情形；進而以案例分析方式來說明棄權與禁止反言的意涵。藉著以大陸法系之判例與學說所創設的權利失效理論，以及英美法系之案例所歸納出的棄權與禁止反言制度為討論中心，進行闡述此三種原則如何將誠實信用原則在個案為具體的實踐。最後乃基於上述之內容整理出結論。本文對所提及之議題，必然於文中加以釐清。

The principle of good faith involves in the legislation of ethic, also is a guideline which the contemporary civil and commercial law shall be bound. According to the Civil Code of Taiwan, Section 2 of Article 148 stipulates “A right shall be exercised and a duty shall be performed in accordance with the means of good faith”, known as the good faith provision, being one of the Empire Provisions in the civil law world. Apart from containing the meaning of ethics and morals, the most significant function of this provision is to be compulsory standards on the basis of case-by-case assessments, by practicing of which the legal order, fair and justice can be approached. Having been materialized, the abstract principle of good faith can be applied to each individual case. In this article, following the definitions and the functions been described, an analysis as to carrying out the doctrine of invalidation of right in both substantive and procedure law will be given. Then, several material cases are drawn for analysis of waiver and estoppel, dealt with in the subsequent part. Finally, conclusions are addressed on the basis of the above. For each paragraph, after the points at issue have been stated, a potential solution will be proposed.