Introduction to Law (Cô Hằng)

Pháp luật đại cương (PLU111)

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Giảng viên : Hoàng Thị Minh Hằng (Ph. D)
Faculty of Law B209, Building B
Contact info : hanghtm@ftu.edu.vn; 0836863586

Overview
● Topic 1 : Theories of States and Law
● Topic 2 : Fundamentals of Civil Law in Vietnam
● Topic 3 : Fundamentals of Criminal Law of Vietnam
● Topic 4 : International Public Law
● Topic 5 : International Private Law

Mid-term (17/11/22) : Topic 1+2, Open book + in writing + in-class exam

Final test : Topic 2-5, Open book + in writing + In-class and take-home assignment
Grading Breakdown : Attendance (10%) + Mid-term (30%) + Final (60%)

Topic 1 : Theories of States and Law

Session 1 : Origin of States and Law

1. Origin of States : Marxism and Leninism

- Reasons of States Formation : 3 times of specializations

Primitive Community/ Classless society ⇒ Class society ⇒ States
- Definition of State:
+ Special political organization
+ Protecting the rights and interests of the ruling class (bảo vệ quyền và lợi ích
cho giai cấp thống trị)
+ Maintaining the stability of the society
+ Having enforcement power (tính cưỡng chế)

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 - Powers of a state :
+ Legislative power (lập pháp) : power to make law (called Legislature)
eg. National, Assembly, Parliament, Congress, National Diet…
+ Executive power (hành pháp) : power to administer law (called Executive)
eg. Government, administration, cabinet, etc..
+ Judicial power (tư pháp) : Power to enforce law (called Judiciary)
eg. Court, Prosecution

- State protect the rights and interest of the ruling classes in politics, economy, social
rights and interests by State bodies (cơ quan nhà nước) + State powers

- Essence of a State (bản chất của nhà nước) :

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 Session 2 : Origin of Law

2. Origin of Law : Marxism and Leninism

- Primitive community : customs and usages ⇒ Class society ⇒ State ⇒ Law
a) What is law?
- Laws : are legally enforceable rules made by authorities within a society. Laws are wills of
ruling classes and determined by material conditions of a society
b) Essences of Law :
- Laws are different from rules.

Session 3 : Styles, Forms and Functions of States

1. Style of States
- Denoting groups of states with the same class-conscious face (giai cấp xã hội)
- Types :
+ Slave-possession style of states : chiếm hữu nô lệ
+ Feudal style of state : phong kiến
+ Capitalist style of states : Tư bản chủ nghĩa
+ Socialist style of states : xã hội chủ nghĩa

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2. Forms of States :
- Forms in which states powers are allocated/designated
- Types
– Ruling form
– Structural form

- Nhà nước Quân chủ vs Chủ nghĩa :

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- Nhà nước Liên bang và Thống nhất :

- Luật giữa Nhà nước Liên bang vs Nhà nước thống nhất :

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 3. Function of State :
● Internal Functions : Domestic (nội bộ)
● External Functions : External (đối ngoại)

* CASE-SOLVING : IRAC model

– I (Issue): What is the issue/question?
– R (Rule): What is rule applicable to the
issue/question?
– A (Application): Apply the Rule to the Issue
– C (Conclusion): Answer to the Issue/question?

Session 4 : Styles, Forms and Function of Law

1. Style of Laws :
- Denoting a group of laws of the same essence
- 4 types :
+ Slave possession style of law (chủ nô)

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 + Feudal style of law (phong kiến)
+ Capitalist style of law (tư bản)
+ Socialist style of Law (XHCN)
- Link between state styles and law styles :
+ The style of a state informs the style of its law
+ A state of a certain style has its law of the corresponding style

2. Forms of Law :
- Answering the question of “Where to find the law”
- So-called “Source of law”
- Types :
+ Customary law :
luật tập quán/ tập
quán pháp
+ Statutory law : luật
thành văn/ văn bản
quy phạm pháp
luật
+ Case law : án lệ

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- Customary law : Tập quán pháp

- Quy trình làm luật : Law Making Process

* CASE LAW :
- Judicial Precedent : Principles of consistency
+ Similar cases should be decided similarly/in the same way
+ Consistency = important feature of a good decision-making process
● A court’s decision is expected to be consistent (or at least not unjustify inconsistent)
with previous decisions
● To provide opinion which parties and other can use to direct their future relations
● to decide cases in accordance with existing rules
+ Exceptions : when the solutions offered by a precedent not just due to
● Passage of time

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 ● Changing circumstances
- Stare decisis : “to stand by a decision”/ “let a decision stand”

3. Functions of law
- Regulation : tính quy định
- Prediction : tính báo trước
- Stabilization : tính ổn định

Session 5&6 : State and Law in Vietnam

1. State in Vietnam : Style, Form and Function

- Vietnam : Socialist - Republic - Unitary State
- Function : Internal + external

Criteria Types VNM

Style of State Slave possession style

Feudal style

Capitalist style

Socialist style x

Ruling form Monarchy

Republic x

Structural Form Unitary state x

Federation

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2. Law in Vietnam
- Vietnam : Socialist style - Form : Customary + Statutory + Case law
- Function : Regulation + Prediction + stabilization

Criteria Types VNM

Style of Law Slave possession style

Feudal style

Capitalist style

Socialist style x

Forms of Law Customary Law x

Statutory Law x

Case law x

* Statutory Law : Luật thành

- Legislation : văn bản luật ⇒ The National Assembly
+ Constitution : hiến pháp
+ Codes : bộ luật
+ Laws : luật
⇒ Unconstitution : vi hiến (vi phạm về hiến pháp) ⇒ vô hiệu
- Delegated legislation : văn bản dưới luật

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 + Ordinance : pháp lệnh/lệnh ⇒ the Standing Committee of the NA (ban thường vụ
quốc hội)
+ Decrees : nghị định ⇒ The government (Chính phủ)
+ Circulars : thông tư ⇒ Ministry/ies (Bộ/ban ngành)
+ Resolutions : nghị quyết ⇒ State bodies (Cơ quan nhà nước)
+ Decisions : quyết định ⇒ Head of the State bodies/ State bodies. (Cá nhân/tổ chức)
E.g :
● Constitution of Vietnam 2013 : Luật hiến pháp Việt Nam 2013
● Civil Code of Vietnam 2015 : Luật dân sự Việt Nam 2015
● Law on Enterprises 2020 : Luật doanh nghiệp 2020
● Ordinance No.02/2020/UBTVQH14 : Pháp lệnh số No.02/2020/UBTVQH14
● Decree No. 92/2021/ND-CP : Nghị định No. 92/2021/ND-CP
● Circular 78/2021/TT-BTC : Thông tư 78/2021/TT-BTC (thông tư bộ tài chính)
● Resolution 68/NQ-CP : Nghị quyết 68/NQ-CP (nghị quyết chính phủ)

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 3. Legal norms (Quy phạm pháp luật)
- Smallest component/unit of legal system : đơn vị nhỏ nhất của hệ thống pháp luật
- Stated in the legislation : được công bố trong hiến pháp
- Include :
+ Assumption : Giả định ⇒ ai/cái gì
+ Regulation : Quy định ⇒ theo luật
+ Sanction : Chế tài ⇒ hình phạt khi vi phạm pháp luật/regulation
● Civil : Damages (if cause damage) + Restitution
● Criminals : Fines + imprisonment (limited/ unlimited) + death sentence
⇒ Phân biệt bằng assumption : Re ⇒ assumption ko sai, sanction ⇒ assumption sai
* Shall = must

4. Legal Events (Sự kiện pháp lý)

- Social relations : friendship, courtship/mateship, kinship, colleagues…
- Legal relations have 3 elements : Subject (chủ thể), Content (nội dung), Object (khách thể)

- Subject : parties (to the legal relations) ⇒ 3 types : individual + organization + state
- Contents : rights and obligations of parties in connection to the object ⇒ 2 types : rights of
parties/ subjects in connection with the objects + obligations of parties/ subjects in
connection with the objects

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 - Object (khách thể) : benefits aimed at by parties (to the relation) ⇒ 3 types : property +
conduct + non-conduct

E.g of legal events :

Social relation How to establish how to modify How to terminate

marital relations Marriage registration domestic divorce/death

arrangements

labor relations labor contract labor contract labor contract termination/

conclusion amendment death / bankruptcy /
dissolution

sales of goods entering into contract modification contract fulfillment/

contracts contracts/ contractual termination
conclusion

- Events of which the happening with legal relation (quan hệ pháp lý)
+ Establish and/or : bắt đầu
+ Modify and/or : thay đổi
+ Terminate legal relations : chấm dứt
- Types :
+ Based on legal consequences : Dựa vào hệ quả pháp lý
● Legal events establishing legal relations
● Legal events modifying legal relations
● Legal events terminating legal relations
+ Based on the way in which a legal event occurs :
● Legal incidents : Legal events happening beyond intentions of parties
to/subjects of legal relations
● Legal actions : Legal events happening on purpose of parties to/subjects of
legal relations
● Other legal events : eg. Court decision.

Session 7 : Types of Law

I. Types of Law
- National Law and International Law : Luật quốc gia vs Luật quốc tế
- Substantive law and procedural law : Luật thực chứng
- Public law and private law
- Criminal vs Civil Law

1. National v. International Law

National Law International Law

Similarities Law ⇒ definition of Law applies

Dissimilarities

- Name Domestic Law Law of the Nation

Municipal Law

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 - Makers Every single state >2 States
(National law ⇒ nation ⇒ state) (International law
⇒ International
⇒ Inter-national
⇒ among nation
⇒ among state

- E.g National Law of Vietnam International Trade Law

National Law of the US International Financial Law
National Law of the UK International Investment Law
National Law of Canada International Health Law
National Law of AUS International Environment Law

- Spatial scope of Within state territory Among states

application Exception : extra-territoriality

- International Law :
● Inter-national law
● Inter- (prefix): between/among
- Inter-continental
- Inter-regional
- Inter-action
- Inter-national
- Inter-link
- Inter-net

2. Substantive v. Procedural Law : Luật nội dung v. Luật hình thức

Types / Substantive law Procedural law

Criteria

Similarities Law -> definition of Law applies

Dissimilarities

Subject-matters / Create, define and regulate: Define the procedures/methods by

contents - (Legal) rights and which to obtain a remedy in a count
- (Legal) obligations

Example Law of sale contracts Rules of dispute settlement

(defining the right and obligations (eg: means of DS)
of the buyer and the seller)

“Where a seller delivers property Statutory Limitations

in a quantity which is more than
that agreed, the purchaser has “The time-limit within which a request
the right to accept or not to accept may be made to a court to declare a
the excess civil transaction invalid (...) shall be
-> Right of the buyer two years (...).

“A purchaser must pay full price at Jurisdiction of Courts

the agreed place and time”
-> obligation of the buyer

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 3. Public law v. Private law :

Types / Public law Private law

Criteria

Similarities Law -> Definition of Law applies

Dissimilarities

Subject-matters / Regulation the organization of Regulating the relations among

contents government & with its relations persons and organizations

Subjects / Parties - Public actors/STATE - Private actors

to relations - (private actors) (if relevant) - State - Public actor (if relevant)

Public < — > public/private Private < — > public/private

Actor actor Actor actor

Example - Constitutional law - Civil law

- Administrative law - Commercial law
- Criminal law - Family law
- Property law
- Law of succession
- Labor law
- Etc.

4. Civil law and Criminal Law

Types / Civil law Criminal law

Criteria

Similarities Law -> definition of Law applies

Dissimilarities

Subject-matters / Controls the actions between Crime is an offence against the

contents individuals and or business society even though only one person
organizations may suffer

Aim Compensate a person who has Punish the criminal and

suffered a loss by money is paid to the state,
receiving money. This is not the victim
known as damages

Disputants At first-instance courts: Prosecution/Prosecutor (công tố viên)

- Plaintiff Accused (bị cáo)
- Defendant/ Respondent

- Cross - plaintiff (nguyên

đơn chéo)
- Cross - defendant

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 (bị đơn chéo)

At appeal courts:
- Appellant
- Appellee

- Legal Names of Disputing Parties :

+ Claimant : Nguyên đơn
● Who? the person who complains or brings an action asking the court
for relief
● Also called ‘the plaintiff’
+ Defendant : Bị đơn
● Who? the person against whom a civil action is brought or who is
prosecuted for a criminal offence
● Also called “respondent”

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Exercise : Which of the above cases fall into ?
Case Public Private Substantive Procedural Civil Criminal
Law Law Law Law Law Law

A claim for non- x x x

payment of a debt
worth $5000

A claim for personal x x

injury from a motor
accident for
approximately $130
000

A dispute between a x x x
citizen and the
federal tax
commissioner

A constitutional x x x
dispute between
states in Australia

A murder charge x x x

Parties negotiate to x x x
settle their disputes

A court dismisses a x x x
case for the lack of
jurisdiction

Topic 2 : Civil Law in Vietnam

Session 8 : Overview of Civil Law in Vietnam

I. Objects of Regulation of Civil Law (Đối tượng điều chỉnh của quy định
dân sự)
Civil Relations (Art. 4.1)
- What? (Art. 1) RELATIONS established on the BASIS of
● Equality
● Freedom of will
● Independence of property
● Self-responsibility
- E.g.
● Civil Relations :
● Marriage and Family Relations : Hôn nhân gia đình
● Business and Trade Relations :
● Labour Relations : quan hệ lao động
● Inherent Relations : quan hệ thừa kế
- Types of civil relations

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 ● Property relations : Quan hệ tài sản
● Person (identity) relations : quan hệ nhân thân
* juridical person : pháp nhân (tổ chức/vật có quyền và nghĩa vụ với pháp luật)

Personal Identity Relation : further readings in page 25-39

Các giá trị nhân thân : (Không chuyển giao được)

Article 30. Right to declaration of birth and death : Quyền khai sinh và khai tử
Article 31. Right to nationality : Quốc tịch
Article 32. Rights of an individual with respect to his/her image : Quyền cá nhân với
hình ảnh của mình
Article 33. Right to life, right to safety of life, health and body : Quyền được sống,
được bảo vệ
Article 34. Right to protection of honor, dignity and prestige : Quyền được bảo vệ
danh dự, phẩm giá và uy tín
Article 35. Right to donate or receive human tissues and body organs and donate
corpses : Quyền được hiến và nhận bộ phận cơ thể, nội tạng và tử thi.
Article 36. Right to re-determine gender identity : Quyền tái xác định giới tính

II. Methodology

• Equality : quyền bình đẳng

• Freedom of will : quyền tự do ý chí
• Independence of property : Tự lập về tài sản
• Self-responsibility : Tự chịu trách nhiệm

III. Principles : (Nguyên tắc)

● Principle of Equality
● Principle of Freedom and Voluntariness

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 ● Principle of Goodwill and Honesty
● Principle of Non-violation of Interests (of the Nation, the Public and of other
persons)
● Principle of Self-Liability
(Art. 3, Civil Code 2015)

Tự do (Freedom) : thoát khỏi nguyên tắc của nhà nước

Tự nguyện (volunteer) : thoát khỏi nguyên tắc của mọi bên thứ 3

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 - Self-liability
● Liability
- So called “responsibility”
- HOW is (dis)similar to/from obligation?
- WHEN is it arising?/Being liable/responsible for what?
● Civil liability
- WHAT are types of civil : liability/responsibility/remedies in civil law?
● Specific performance
● Damages/Liquidated damages
● Cancellation
● Restitution
● Injunction

IV. Definition :
Civil law is a separate law branch in the Vietnam law system, a set of rules regulating
property relations and personal identity relations on the basis of equality, freedom of will,
independence of property and self- responsibility.
→ Objects of regulation
→ Types of civil relations
→ Methodology of civil law

V. Sources of Civil Law in Vietnam

● Customary Law
● Statutory Law
- Legislations
● Constitution year of 2013
● Civil Code year of 2015
● Other laws
- Delegated legislations
● Case Law
VI. Civil Code of Vietnam 2015
- 689 Articles
- 6 Parts :
– General Provisions
– Ownership Rights and Other Property-Related Rights
– Obligations and Contracts
– Inheritance
– Civil Relations Involving Foreign Elements

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 – Implementation Provisions

Midterm Preparation

I. Multiple Choice Question :

1) State appeared since
a. Primitive community
b. Slave possesion
c. Feudal era
d. Capitalism
2) Nature of state includes:
a. Social face
b. Class-conscious face
c. Both a and b
d. None of a or b
3) The court should not be concerned with whether applying the ordinary meaning will lead to an
unfair, ridiculous or inconsistent result. This statement describes the rule of statutory
interpretation which is known as:
a. The literal rule
b. The golden rule
c. The class rule
d. The denning rule
4) A state statute authorizes local councils to pass laws regulating the use of beaches and parks in
its area. A local council passes a by-law prohibiting playing volleyball games on its beaches. This
by-law is an example of :
a. Administrative decision making
b. Primary legislation
c. Executive action : hành pháp
d. Delegated legislation
5) The person who commences legal action is called the: Người bắt đầu hành động pháp lý

a. plaintiff : nguyên đơn

b. defendant : bị đơn

c. respondent : bị đơn

d. claimant : nguyên đơn đầu tiên

6) The doctrine of precedent (binding) means that: Quy tắc xét xử vụ án

a. judges must follow earlier decisions of their fellow judges from the same courts

b. judges must follow decisions of overseas courts to increase their legal knowledge

c. earlier decisions of lower courts are binding upon higher courts (in the same court hierarchy)
where there are cases with similar/identical facts.

d. earlier decisions of higher courts are binding upon lower courts ( in the same court hierarchy)
where there are cases with similar/identical facts. ⇒ Case law

7) The standard of proof required in a criminal matter is :

a. Beyond reasonable doubt : nghi ngờ có tính hợp lý
b. Beyond the balance of possibilities
c. Unanimous : không rõ nguồn gốc

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