Mission Accomplished
On Founding Constitutional Adjudication in Central Europe
Radoslav Procházka, Assistant Professor, Trnava
University Law School, advisor to the Constitutional
Court of Slovakia
Examines constitutional jurisdiction in the so-called
Visegrad Four: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and
Slovakia. The creation of constitutional courts was
one of the major milestones in the re-creation of the
democratic system in these countries. In Europe constitutional
courts exert much of the functions of the Supreme Court
of the US. However, the immediate western European samples
showed marked differences, which is why besides similarities,
the theory and practice of constitutional law show differences
in these four countries. Procházka analyses and explains
these similarities and differences.
Mission Accomplished contributes to the literature
on comparative constitutional law by offering insights
into the constitutional discourses that go beyond the
discussion of notorious cases and events in these four
countries. Procházka argues that the various historical,
cultural, socio-psychological, political and institutional
contexts have translated into different modes of constitutional
adjudication and interpretation.
"...it provides a comprehensive account of both
the role of constitutional adjudication in the process
of transition to democracy in these countries, and of
the interpretative strategies of the courts." -
Political Studies Review
"superb account of constitutional review in post-Communist
Central Europe ... Procházka's book delivers
on its promises: it offers a rich, complete account
of the courts' origins, design and reach, and does so
in language accessible to most readers." - Central
Europe
"...this volume offers a fascinating account of
the road leading to the establishment of constitutional
adjudication in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic,
and Slovakia, with attention to the cultural, political,
and psychological difference found in each." -
Reference and Research Book News
"Insgesamt
... gehört das Buch zum besten, was zum Thema geschrieben
wurde. Alle weiteren Arbeiten werden sich mit Procházka's
Thesen auseneinanderstezen müssen." - Osteuropa
420 pages, 2002
ISBN 978-963-9241-51-0 cloth $49.95 / €42.95 /
Ł33.00
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