法律英语-何家弘(20)

7

In 1923, the American Law Institute (ALI) was formed.

1.1923年，美国法学会成立。

Finally adopted in full in 1979, the Restatement (Second) of Contracts reflects some shifts in philosophy from the original Restatement.

2.最终，此修订于1979年完成。《法律重述（二版）》更换了许多《一版》中裁决所依据的哲学原则模式。

The major project undertaken by this organization was the preparation The first Restatement tended to emphasize generalization and

and promulgation of what purported to be accurate and authoritative predictability, at the expense of diversity and flexibility; the second summaries of the rules of common law in various fields, including contracts, attempts, with more extended supporting commentary and editorial notes, torts, property. 2.这个组织的最重要的科研项目是对诸如合同法、侵权法、财产法在内的各种领域的普通法规则的权威和真实目的进行论证和确立。【原意是“准备”和“出版”】

The first such “restatement” to be issued—and perhaps the most successful in terms of acceptance and use by the bench and bar—was the Restatement of Contracts, officially adopted by the ALI in 1932.

3.这种《法律重述》于1932年由美国法学会正式出版，并最成功地被法官和律师届所引用。

(It had been gradually emerging in draft form over the several years preceding.)

4.但在1932年之前的几年里，它的雏形文本就己经面世了。

The Restatement resembled a statute in form, consisting of

“black-letter” statements of the “general rule” (or, where the cases appeared to conflict, the “better rule”).

5.《法律重述》像一部法律，“黑体字”代表基本原则，或者对某个最佳原则抵触的案例。

In addition, most sections were supported with at least some commentary and illustrations.

6.另外，大多数章节至少都有法学家评论和注释作为论据支持。

None of the ALI Restatements have the force of law, as does a statute or an individual court decision.

7. 对于任何一个法官或者法院而言，美国司法协会出版的任何一部《法律重述》都没有法律强制力。

Although they constitute only secondary authority, the Restatements have in fact proved to be remarkably persuasive; not infrequently, a court will justify its decision by simply citing and quoting (perhaps with approving discussion) the Restatement's rule on a given point.

8.尽管对各部门法的《法律重述》仅仅是本部门法的次要法源，但是事实上《法律重述》有着相当显著的说服力，经常有法院为了论证某个问题的公正性，就直接引用和援引《法律重述》的原文或者是相关观点的适用规则。

8

Recognizing that contract law had undergone substantial development since 1932, the ALI in 1962 began to prepare a revised version of its Restatement.

1.自1932年《法律重述》出版以来，合同法体系己经发生了实质性的发展，美国司法协会从1962年开始准备对《法律重述》进行修订。

to acknowledge some of the complexity the first Restatement preferred to ignore and to suggest a freer rein for judicial discretion.

3.在损害多样性和不确定性问题上，《法律重述（一版）》往往强调规则的普遍适用性和可预测性。而《二版》则试图辅以评论和编者按，去证明《一版》中宁愿忽略对这些问题的复杂性的讨论，以及试图去建议对自由裁量权的必要限制。

9

Although they are no more than secondary authority, the Restatements of Contracts have clearly had a powerful effect in shaping judicial views of what the common law of contract ought to be.

1.尽管《法律重述》是次要法源，但《法律重述》中有关合同法的部分己经实实在在的影响到法官如何认识普通法中合同法的应有含义。

Perhaps no other secondary authority has had quite that impact on the law, but over the years a variety of published articles, books, and multivolume treatises has been devoted to analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing the immense body of contract cases that has accumulated in the reported decisions of American courts.

2.或许没有其他次要法源可以对法律产生如此的影响，但纵观这几年来出版的各种书籍、文章、条约汇编，他们己经开始对美国法院判例集中公布的浩繁的合同案例进行分析、评价，综合归纳。

Authors of these works have sought to clarify the law, to propose solutions for unresolved issues, and in some cases to argue strenuously and often effectively for legal change.

3.这些著作的作者们着意探究法律的本意，对未决案件提出判决建议，对某些案件中的问题展开热烈的讨论。

In the aggregate, such legal commentary has been extremely influential in shaping the course of the common law of contract.

4.综上，这种（类型的）法律评论己经对普通法中的合同法的形成进程产生了决定性的影响。