PRIVATE COMPARATIVE LAW
(Professor Vincenzo Zeno-Zencovich)
(first semester course)
7 CFU- ECTS
Syllabus
Comparative analysis of the key institutions of private law (property law, contract law, tort law),
with special focus on the common law/civil law convergence and distinctions.
Learning and Teaching
The course is made up of lectures on the main subjects of private comparative law, followed by
seminars that are meant to support the lectures and encourage interactive student participation.
Aims and objectives of the course
- To introduce students to important aspects of foreign law.
- To introduce students to the comparative methodology in the study of law.
- To provide, through the study of foreign law, a better understanding of national law.
- To develop tools whereby students may identify relevant issues of comparative law and know-how
to begin analysing and researching them, and may approach normative, jurisprudential and doctrinal
sources of foreign law.
- to develop critical skills of analysis and interpretation in relation to comparative methodology and
foreign law.
Contents
Introduction to private comparative law - The law of property in common law - Contract law in the
civil law, Roman law, and common law traditions - Principles of tort law and relevant case law in
some of the main traditions of civil law (France, Germany, and Italy) and common law (UK and
USA).
Fall 2009
Schedule of lessons
(Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 8.30-10.00)
Teaching Assistant: Dr. Noah Vardi- vardi@uniroma3.it
1. 5 Oct. property- General issues; comparative analysis of property law in civilian
and common law systems
Reading materials: “Comparative property law”, S. Van Erp, pgs. 1044-1069
2.
6 Oct. property- Possession and ownership; the extent of the right to use property
Reading materials: “Possession and ownership” “The extent of the right to
use property”, J. Gordley, extr. from Foundations of Private law,
pgs.49-80
3. 7 Oct. property- The content of proprietal rights
4. 12 Oct. property- The legal protection of property
Reading materials:
case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of J.A. Pye Ltd.v.
the United Kingdom, 2005
case law: Supreme Court of California, John Moore v. The Regents of the
University of California, 1990
5. 13 Oct. property- The legal protection of property
Reading materials:
case law: U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, Washington University v.
Catalona, 2006
case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of Spadea and Scalabrino v. Italy,
1995
6. 14 Oct. property- The legal protection of property
Reading materials:
case law: Case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of Iatridis v. Greece,
1999
case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of Jahn v. Germany , 2004
7. 19 Oct. contracts- general issues
Reading materials:
Casebook on contract law (H. Beale et al. “Contract Law. Common Law of
Europe Casebooks” Oxford-Portland, 2002)—binding nature of contractual
obligations- pgs.2-3; pgs.115-123
case law: Queen’s Bench Division, British Steel Corporation v. Cleveland Bridge
and Engineering Co. Ltd., 1984
case law: Court of Appeal, Kleinwort Benson Ltd. v. Malaysia Mining Corp. Bhd,
1989
case law: BGH, 30 November 1992
case law: Cass. com., 21 December 1987
8. 20 Oct. contracts- general issues
Reading materials:
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 10 May 1995
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 3 July 1996
case law: Queen’s Bench Division, Central London Property Trust Ltd. v. High
Trees House Ltd, 1947
case law: House of Lords, Midland Bank Trust Co. Ltd v. Green, 1980
9. 21 Oct. contracts- formation
Reading materials:
case law: Queen’s Bench, Adams v. Lindsell, 1818
case law: Court of Appeal, Dickinson v. Dobbs, 1876
case law: Cass. soc., 22 March 1972
case law: Court of Appeal, Butler Machine Tool Co. Ltd. v. Ex-cell-O Corp. Ltd.
1979
10. 26 Oct. contracts- pre-contractual good faith
Reading materials:
case law: House of Lords, Walford v. Miles, 1992
case law: Cass. Com. , 20 March 1972
case law: Hoge Raad, 18 June 1982
11. 27 Oct. contracts- pre-contractual good faith
Reading materials:
case law: Privy Council, Att.-Gen. of Hong Kong v. Humphreys Estates, 1987
case law: High Court of Australia, Walton Stores (Interstate) Ltd v. Maher, 1987
case law: Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Hoffman v. Red Owl Stores Inc., 1965
case law: Court of Appeal, Seager v. Copydex Ltd., 1967
12. 28 Oct. contracts- impossibility of performance
Reading materials:
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 24 January 1995
case law: RG, 3 February 1914
case law: King’s Bench, Paradine v. Jane, 1647
13. 2 Nov. contracts- impossibility of performance
Reading materials:
case law: Queen’s Bench, Taylor v. Caldwell, 1863
case law: Court of Appeal, Krell v. Henry, 1902
case law: Court of Appeal, Herne Bay Steam Boat Co. V. Hutton, 1903
case law: Court of Appeal, Ocean Tramp Tankers Corp. v. VO Sovracht, 1964
14. 3Nov. contracts- revision of contracts
Reading materials:
case law: RG, 3 February 1922
case law: BGH, 14 October 1992
15. 4 Nov. contracts- indexation clauses
Reading materials:
case law: Chancery Division Multiservice Bookbinding v. Marden, 1978
case law: BGH, 25 May 1977
case law: Cass. civ 1re, 27 June 1957
16. 9 Nov. contracts- relations between contract and tort
Reading materials:
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 11 January 1989
case law: BGH, 9 May 1957
case law: BGH, 24 May 1976
case law: Cass. civ. 2e, 17 February 1955
17. 10 Nov. torts- general issues
Reading materials:
G. Wagner, Comparative Tort Law, in M. Reimann and R. Zimmermann (eds.) The
Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law, Oxford University Press, 2008, pgs. 10041040
18. 11 Nov. torts- protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom
Reading materials:
case law: BGH, 30 April 1991
case law: House of Lords, Alcock v. Chief Constable of the South Yorkshire Police,
1992
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 16 July 1991
19. 16 Nov. torts- protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom
Reading materials:
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 25 June 1991
case law: Conseil d’Etat, 27 September 1989
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 26 March 1996
case law: Corte di Cass., 26 January 1971
20. 17 Nov. torts- protection of personality rights and privacy
Reading materials:
case law: BHG, 12 October 1993
case law: Cour d’appel Paris, 13 March 1996
case law: Court of Appeal, Kaye v. Robertson, 1991
21. 18 Nov. torts- protection of economic interests
Reading materials:
case law: Court of Appeal, Allied Maples Group Ltd. v. Simmons & Simmons, 1995
case law: BGH, 6 June 1994
case law: Cass. comm. 17 October 1984
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 21 February 1995
22. 23 Nov. torts- causation
Reading materials:
case law: BGH, 2 July 1991
case law: Cass. civ., 2e, 3 October 1990
23. 24 Nov. torts- causation
Reading materials:
case law: Privy Council, Overseas Tankship Ltd. v. Morts Dock & Engineering Co.
Ltd., 1961
case law: House of Lords, Hughes v. Lord Advocate, 1963
case law: House of Lords, Donaghey v. Boulton & Paul Ltd., 1968
24. 25 Nov. torts- liability not based on conduct
Reading materials:
case law: BGH, 15 October 1970
case law: Cass. Ch. réun., 13 February 1930
case law: House of Lords, London Passenger Transport Board v. Upson, 1949
25. 30 Nov. torts- product liability
Reading materials:
case law: BGH, 26 November 1968
case law: OLG Düsseldorf, 29 November 1996
case law: BGH, 12 November 1991
26. 1 Dec. torts- product liability
Reading materials:
case law: BGH, 17 March 1981
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 9 July 1996
case law: House of Lords, Donoghue v. Stevenson, 1932
27. . 2 Dec. torts- product liability
Reading materials:
case law: Privy Council, Grant v. Australian Knitting Mills, 1935
case law: BGH, 9 May 1995
case law: Cass. civ. 1re, 3 March 1998
28. 7 Dec. European private law- general issues
29. 9 Dec. European private law- cases and assignments
INDEX OF READING MATERIALS
PRIVATE COMPARATIVE LAW- FALL 2009
PROPERTY:
1. S. Van Erp, Comparative Property Law, in M. Reimann and R. Zimmermann (eds.) The
Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law, Oxford University Press, 2008, pgs. 1044-1068
2. J. Gordley, Foundations of Private Law, Oxford University Press, 2006, pgs. 49-80,
“Possession and ownership”, “The extent of the right to use property”
3.
(adverse possession): Case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of J.A. Pye Ltd.v.
the United Kingdom, 2005
4. (content of property): Case law: Supreme Court of California, John Moore v. The Regents
of the University of California, 1990
5. (content of property): Case law: U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, Washington University
v. Catalona, 2006
6. (legal protection of property): Case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of Spadea
and Scalabrino v. Italy, 1995
7. (legal protection of property): Case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of Iatridis
v. Greece, 1999
8. (legal protection of property) Case law: European Court of Human Rights, Case of Jahn v.
Germany , 2004
CONTRACTS:
1. H. Beale, A. Hartkamp, H. Kötz, D. Tallon, Cases, Materials and Text on Contract Law,
Hart Publishing, 2002, pgs. 2-3+ 115-123, “Definitions”, “Foundations of the binding force
of contract”
2. Case Law: Queen’s Bench Division, British Steel Corporation v. Cleveland Bridge and
Engineering Co. Ltd., 1984
3. Case Law: Court of Appeal, Kleinwort Benson Ltd. v. Malaysia Mining Corp. Bhd, 1989
4. Case Law: BGH, 30 November 1992
5. Case Law: Cass. com., 21 December 1987
6. Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 10 May 1995
7. Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 3 July 1996
8. Case Law: Queen’s Bench Division, Central London Property Trust Ltd. v. High Trees
House Ltd, 1947
9. Case Law: House of Lords, Midland Bank Trust Co. Ltd v. Green, 1980
10. (formation) Case Law: Queen’s Bench, Adams v. Lindsell, 1818
11. (formation) Case Law: Court of Appeal, Dickinson v. Dobbs, 1876
12. ( formation) Case Law: Cass. soc., 22 March 1972
13. (formation) Case Law: Court of Appeal, Butler Machine Tool Co. Ltd. v. Ex-cell-O Corp.
Ltd. ,1979
14. (pre-contractual good faith) Case Law: House of Lords, Walford v. Miles, 1992
15. (pre-contractual good faith) Case Law: Cass. Com. , 20 March 1972
16. (pre-contractual good faith) Case Law: Hoge Raad, 18 June 1982
17. (pre-contractual good faith) Case Law: Privy Council, Att.-Gen. of Hong Kong v.
Humphreys Estates, 1987
18. (pre-contractual good faith) Case Law: High Court of Australia, Walton Stores (Interstate)
Ltd v. Maher ,1987
19. (pre-contractual good faith) Case Law: Supreme Court of Wisconsin, Hoffman v. Red Owl
Stores Inc., 1965
20. (pre-contractual good faith) Case Law: Court of Appeal, Seager v. Copydex Ltd., 1967
21. (impossibility of performance) Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 24 January 1995
22. (impossibility of performance) Case Law: RG, 3 February 1914
23. (impossibility of performance) Case Law: King’s Bench, Paradine v. Jane, 1647
24. (impossibility of performance) Case Law: Queen’s Bench, Taylor v. Caldwell, 1863
25. (impossibility of performance) Case Law: Court of Appeal, Krell v. Henry, 1902
26. (impossibility of performance) Case Law: Court of Appeal, Herne Bay Steam Boat Co. V.
Hutton, 1903
27. (impossibility of performance) Case Law: Court of Appeal, Ocean Tramp Tankers Corp. v.
VO Sovracht, 1964
28. (revision of contracts): Case Law RG, 3 February 1922
29. (revision of contracts): Case Law: BGH, 14 October 1992
30. (indexation clauses): Case Law: Chancery Division Multiservice Bookbinding v. Marden,
1978
31. (indexation clauses): Case Law: BGH, 25 May 1977
32. (indexation clauses): Case Law: Cass. civ 1re, 27 June 1957
33. (contract and tort): Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 11 January 1989
34. (contract and tort): Case Law: BGH, 9 May 1957
35. (contract and tort): Case Law: BGH, 24 May 1976
36. (contract and tort): Case Law: Cass. civ. 2e, 17 February 1955
TORTS:
1. G. Wagner, Comparative Tort Law, in M. Reimann and R. Zimmermann (eds.) The Oxford
Handbook of Comparative Law, Oxford University Press, 2008, pgs. 1004-1040
2. (protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom): Case Law: BGH, 30 April 1991
3. (protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom): Case Law: House of Lords,
Alcock v. Chief Constable of the South Yorkshire Police, 1992
4. (protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom): Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 16 July
1991
5. (protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom): Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 25 June
1991
6. (protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom): Case Law: Conseil d’Etat, 27
September 1989
7. (protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom): Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 26
March 1996
8. (protection of life, physical integrity, health and freedom): Case Law: Corte di Cass., 26
January 1971
9. (protection of personality rights and privacy) : Case Law: BHG, 12 October 1993
10. (protection of personality rights and privacy) : Case Law: Cour d’appel Paris, 13 March
1996
11. (protection of personality rights and privacy) : Case Law: Court of Appeal, Kaye v.
Robertson, 1991
12. (protection of economic interests): Case Law: Court of Appeal, Allied Maples Group Ltd. v.
Simmons & Simmons, 1995
13. (protection of economic interests): Case Law: BGH, 6 June 1994
14. (protection of economic interests): Case Law: Cass. comm. 17 October 1984
15. (protection of economic interests): Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 21 February 1995
16. (causation): Case Law: BGH, 2 July 1991
17. (causation): Case Law: Privy Council, Overseas Tankship Ltd. v. Morts Dock &
Engineering Co. Ltd., 1961
18. (causation): Case Law: House of Lords, Hughes v. Lord Advocate, 1963
19. (causation): Case Law: House of Lords, Donaghey v. Boulton & Paul Ltd., 1968
20. (causation): Case Law: Cass. civ., 2e, 3 October 1990
21. (liability not based on conduct): Case Law: BGH, 15 October 1970
22. (liability not based on conduct): Case Law: Cass. Ch. réun., 13 February 1930
23. (liability not based on conduct): Case Law: House of Lords, London Passenger Transport
Board v. Upson, 1949
24. (product liability): Case Law: BGH, 26 November 1968
25. (product liability): Case Law: OLG Düsseldorf, 29 November 1996
26. (product liability): Case Law: BGH, 12 November 1991
27. (product liability): Case Law: BGH, 17 March 1981
28. (product liability): Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 9 July 1996
29. (product liability): Case Law: House of Lords, Donoghue v. Stevenson, 1932
30. (product liability): Case Law: Privy Council, Grant v. Australian Knitting Mills, 1935
31. (product liability): Case Law: BGH, 9 May 1995
32. (product liability): Case Law: Cass. civ. 1re, 3 March 1998