TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements List of abbreviations v xv PART I: INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter 1: Introduction 3 1.1. Professional bureaucracy 3 1.2. Article 6(1) European Convention on Human Rights 5 1.3. Concept for a thesis 7 Chapter 2: From constitutional theory to quality norms: A theoretical framework 9 2.1. Introduction 9 2.2. Constitutional theory 13 2.2.1. Separation of powers and checks and balances 13 2.2.2. The new judiciary 15 2.3. Legitimacy and the judiciary 19 2.4. Organisation and the judiciary 22 2.5. Quality theory 25 2.5.1. Quality organisations 25 2.5.2. Quality defined 28 2.6. Quality of the judiciary: Main problem question 29 2.6.1. Introduction 29 2.6.2. Main problem questions 33 Chapter 3: Research methodology 35 3.1. Research decisions 35 3.2. Relevance of research 36 vii
3.3. Research design 37 3.3.1. Literature research 37 3.3.2. Research methodology design 38 3.4. Interviews 40 3.5. Interview methodology in the Netherlands 42 3.6. Interview methodology in France 45 3.7. Analysis methodology of interviews 48 3.8. The interview process and respondents 49 3.9. Transcription and analysis 50 3.10. Comparison and conclusions 50 PART II: THE NETHERLANDS 51 Chapter 4: Constitutional law and practices 53 4.1. Power defined 53 4.2. Trias Politicas 54 4.3. Judicial independence and integrity 58 4.4. Conclusions 62 Chapter 5: The institutional context of the Dutch judiciary 65 5.1. Courts in the Netherlands 65 5.1.1. Competences 65 5.1.2. Separate jurisdictions 67 5.2. Members of the judiciary 68 5.2.1. Training and selection 68 5.2.2. Judicial career 71 5.3. Conclusions 72 Chapter 6: The organisers and policy 75 6.1. Recent history of organisational change 75 6.2. Central administration in relation to local court administration and recent measures taken 77 6.2.1. Local court administration 77 6.2.2. Judges versus managers and politics 78 6.2.3. Council for the Judiciary 78 6.3. Finance 79 6.4. Planning and control 81 6.5. Policies 83 6.6. Conclusion 85 viii
Chapter 7: Responsibility of judges: Micro level analysis 87 7.1. The roles and responsibilities of judges in the courts 87 7.1.1. Introduction 87 7.1.2. Main role and responsibility of judges 88 7.1.3. Legal quality: Measurement and assurance 90 7.1.4. Individual judges within the court organisation 91 7.1.5. Analysis: Roles and responsibility of judges in the courts 92 7.2. Managing judges 93 7.2.1. Introduction 93 7.2.2. Managing judges 93 7.2.3. Organisational instruments to aid judges in their responsibility 95 7.2.4. Analysis: Managing judges 99 7.3. Judicial independence and accountability 100 7.3.1. Decision making 100 7.3.2. Organisational autonomy 101 7.3.3. Accountability 103 7.3.4. Analysis: Judicial independence and accountability 105 7.4. Conclusions 106 Chapter 8: Court organisation: Meso level analysis 109 8.1. Introduction 109 8.2. Integral management 110 8.2.1. Introduction 110 8.2.2. Judge manager and integral management 110 8.2.3. The court sector and integral management 112 8.2.4. Success? 114 8.2.5. Analysis: Integral management 116 8.3. Quality of organisation 117 8.3.1. Case management 118 8.3.2. Quality pilot projects 131 8.3.3. Communication 146 8.3.4. Analysis: Quality of organisation 148 8.4. Conclusions 149 Chapter 9: Administration of Justice: Macro level analysis 153 9.1. Courts and judicial organisation 153 9.1.1. The Council for the Judiciary 153 9.1.2. Finances 157 9.1.3. Lamicie model 158 9.1.4. Judicial independence and organisational autonomy 162 9.1.5. Analysis: Courts and judicial organisation 165 9.2. Ministry of Justice 167 9.2.1. Role of the Ministry of Justice 167 ix
9.2.2. Ministry of Justice and the Council for the Judiciary 168 9.2.3. Finance 171 9.2.4. Quality policy 175 9.2.5. Analysis: Ministry of justice and Council for the Judiciary 179 9.3. Council for the Judiciary 180 9.3.1. Role of the Council for the Judiciary 180 9.3.2. Council for the Judiciary and the courts 181 9.3.3. Council for the Judiciary and the Ministry of Justice 182 9.3.4. Financing 183 9.3.5. Quality of justice 189 9.3.6. Analysis: Council for the Judiciary 193 9.4. Conclusions 193 PART III: FRANCE 197 Chapter 10: Constitutional law and practices 199 10.1. Historical development of the judiciary in France 200 10.2. Powers defined 202 10.3. Trias Politicas 204 10.3.1. Ordre judiciaire 204 10.3.2. Ordre administratif 207 10.4. Judicial independence and integrity 209 10.5. Conclusion 212 Chapter 11: Institutional context of the French judiciary 215 11.1. Basic organisation and structure of the courts 216 11.1.1. Ordinary jurisdiction 216 11.1.2. Administrative jurisdiction 222 11.1.3. Separate jurisdictions 224 11.2. Members of the judiciary 224 11.2.1. Training and selection 224 11.2.2. Careers 225 11.3. Conclusion 227 Chapter 12: The organisers and policy 229 12.1. Central administration in relation to local court administration and recent measures taken 229 12.1.1. Local court administration 229 12.1.2. Judges versus managers and politics 232 12.2. Finances 233 12.2.1. National policy 233 12.2.2. Planning and control 236 x
12.3. Policy 237 12.3.1. General policy 237 12.3.2. The judiciary as a public service? 240 12.3.3. Policies 242 12.4. Conclusions 247 Chapter 13: Responsibility of Judges: Micro level analysis (ordinary jurisdiction) 249 13.1. Main role and responsibility of judges 249 13.1.1. Introduction 249 13.1.2. Main role and responsibility of judges 250 13.1.3. Legal quality: Measurement and assurance 251 13.1.4. Individual judges within the court organisation 254 13.1.5. Analysis: Main role and responsibility of judges 256 13.2. Instruments to aid judges in courts 257 13.2.1. Introduction 257 13.2.2. Assistent de justice 258 13.2.3. Clerks 258 13.2.4. Greffier assistants de magistrats 259 13.2.5. Other instruments to aid judges in their work 260 13.2.6. Analysis: Instruments to aid judges 262 13.3. Judicial independence 263 13.3.1. Decision making 263 13.3.2. Organisational autonomy 264 13.3.3. Accountability 265 13.4. Conclusions 266 Chapter 14: Court organisation: Meso level analysis (ordinary jurisdiction) 269 14.1. Introduction 269 14.2. Court management 269 14.2.1. Introduction 269 14.2.2. Management of the court: Who? 270 14.2.3. Management of the court: Normative basis 273 14.2.4. Quality of management 274 14.2.5. Analysis: Court management 276 14.3. Quality of organisation 277 14.3.1. Case management 277 14.3.2. Analysis: Case management 283 14.4. Quality measures and indicators 284 14.4.1. Introduction 284 14.4.2. Quality indicators 285 14.4.3. Quality measures 289 14.4.4. Communications 292 xi
14.4.5. Analysis: Quality of organisation 293 14.5. Conclusions 294 Chapter 15: Administration of Justice: Macro-level analysis (ordinary jurisdiction) 297 15.1. Administration of justice 297 15.1.1. Legislator and courts 297 15.1.2. Ministry of Justice and courts 298 15.1.3. Courts of Appeal and Courts of first instance 301 15.1.4. Analysis: Administration of justice 304 15.2. Finances 305 15.2.1. Distribution processes 305 15.2.2. Process 306 15.2.3. New financial law 308 15.2.4. Analysis: Finances 310 15.3. Conclusions 310 Chapter16: Responsibility of judges: Micro level analysis (administrative jurisdiction) 313 16.1. The roles and responsibilities of judges 313 16.1.1. Introduction 313 16.1.2. Main role and responsibility of judges 313 16.1.3. Legal quality and efficiency 315 16.1.4. Individual judges within the court organisation 318 16.1.5. Analysis: The roles and responsibility of judges 319 16.2. Managing judges 320 16.2.1. Introduction 320 16.2.2. Managing judges 321 16.2.3. Organisational instruments to aid judges in their responsibilities 323 16.2.4. Analysis: Managing judges 327 16.3. Judicial independence 329 16.4. Conclusions 330 Chapter 17: Court organisation: Meso level analysis (administrative Jurisdiction) 331 17.1. Court management 331 17.1.1. Quality of management 331 17.1.2. Court managers 332 17.1.3. Analysis: Court management 334 17.2. Quality of organisation 334 17.2.1. Case management 335 17.2.2. Analysis: Case management 339 17.3. Quality managers and indicators 340 xii
17.3.1. Local courts and quality policy 340 17.3.2 Policy on quality inthe courts 342 17.3.3. Analysis: Quality of organisation 343 17.4. Conclusions 343 Chapter 18: Administration of Justice: Macro level analysis (administrative jurisdiction) 345 18.1. Separation of powers 345 18.1.1. Horizontal separation of powers 345 18.1.2. Vertical separation of powers 346 18.1.3. Analysis: Separation of powers 347 18.2. Administration of justice: The Council of State and the courts 348 18.2.1. Analysis: Administration of justice 350 18.3. Finances 351 18.3.1. Process 351 18.3.2. Financial processes and judicial independence 353 18.3.3. Analysis: Finances 355 18.4. Conclusions 355 PART IV: CONCLUSIONS 357 Chapter 19: Comparative analysis 359 19.1. The role and responsibility of judges 359 19.1.1. Operation of judicial independence and accountability 359 19.1.2. Implementation of quality measures 362 19.1.3. Conclusions 365 19.2. Quality of court organisation 366 19.2.1. Policies 366 19.2.2. Quality assurance 367 19.2.3. Total quality management 370 19.2.4. Quality standards and learning organisation 371 19.2.5. Conclusions 372 19.3. Judicial organisation and the separation of powers 373 19.3.1. Judicial organisation 373 19.3.2. Political level 375 19.3.3. Conclusions 377 Chapter 20: Conclusions 379 20.1. Introduction 379 20.2. The role and responsibility of judges: problem questions 381 20.2.1. How does judicial independence and accountability operate at the level of the judicial office? 381 xiii
20.2.2. What can be done to improve the performance of judges, both in terms of productivity, efficiency and quality? 383 20.2.3. How does this affect judicial independence and accountability? 384 20.3. Court organisation: problem questions 384 20.3.1. In what way have quality theories affected the court organisation? 384 20.3.2. What steps are being taken to bring the organisation closer to the people through quality policies? 387 20.3.3. Do quality standards breach judicial independence at the level of the court? 388 20.4. Administration of Justice: problem questions 389 20.4.1. How do separation of powers and judicial independence operate at the institutional level? 389 20.4.2. Can quality theory be applicable at this level to facilitate hard political accountability? 391 20.5. Conclusions 391 Samenvatting 395 Résumé 401 Bibliography 407 Index 417 Curriculum vitae 425 xiv