论法律方法的法治立场——基于新形式法治理论的视角

法律方法对于法治的实现具有重要意义,尤其是在司法过程中,法律方法的适用在很大程度上决定着个案正义的实现。虽然对于法律方法的适用都要站在维护法治的立场上,但是由于不同的立场对于何谓法治有着不同的理解,例如司法克制主义推崇形式法治的立场,而司法能动主义则坚持实质法治的立场。因此基于不同的法治立场对于法律方法的适用可能会对法治的实现在实质上有着不同的作用,甚至有害的作用。基于新形式法治理论,我国现阶段法律方法的适用应该坚持统合司法克制主义与司法能动主义关照之下的法治立场,因为这两种立场本身都是为了维护法治这个目的和立场的,没有必要非此即彼,但是在实际的过程中,必须有一个限度,而这个限度则是由形式法治的立场所决定的。这种法治立场并不是一种泛泛而谈的纯粹理论性的研究,而是一种面向司法过程的法治立场,是我们运用法律方法的原则问题。法律方法的法治立场的确立,有利于我们在司法操作的层面更好地实现法治,这与政治或是国家意义上的法治立场是不同的,是一种面向司法实践的法治立场。

Position of Rule of Law of Legal Methods--Based on the Perspective of the Neo-Formal Rule of Law Theory

The legal methods are important to realization of rule of law, and realization of individual justice is decided by the application of legal methods to a great extent especially in the judicial process. To maintain the rule of law is the standpoint of application of legal methods, but there are different ideas of what the rule of law is according to different position, for instance, the judicial restraint respecting the formal rule of law standpoint, and Judicial activism insisting on the essential rule of law position. The ap- plication of legal methods might have different effects, even harmful effects, on realization of rule of law with different rule of law standpoint. In light of the neo- formal rule of law theory, the application of legal methods should insist on the rule of law standpoint of integration of judicial restraint and judicial activ- ism. Because these two positions is to uphold the rule of law , there is no need to choose one or the other, but in the actual process, there must be a limit, and this limit is determined by the position of the form of the rule of law. This position of the rule of law is not a purely theoretical study, but a judicial process-o- riented position of the rule of law, a matter of principle we use legal methods. The establishment of the position of rule of law in the legal method, is conducive for us to better achieve the rule of law at the op- erational level of the judiciary . This is different to that on political or national significance , it is a judi- cial practice-oriented position of rule of law.