Law Commission
Encyclopedia
A Law Commission or Law Reform Commission is an independent body set up by a government
to conduct law reform
; that is, to consider the state of laws in a jurisdiction
and make recommendations or proposals for legal changes or restructuring. Their functions include drafting revised versions of confusing laws, preparing consolidated versions of laws, making recommendations on updating outdated laws and making recommendations on repealing obsolete or spent law
s.
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
to conduct law reform
Law reform
Law reform or Legal reform is the process of examining existing laws, and advocating and implementing changes in a legal system, usually with the aim of enhancing justice or efficiency....
; that is, to consider the state of laws in a jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
and make recommendations or proposals for legal changes or restructuring. Their functions include drafting revised versions of confusing laws, preparing consolidated versions of laws, making recommendations on updating outdated laws and making recommendations on repealing obsolete or spent law
Spent law
A spent law or spent enactment is a piece of legislation which is still in force, but which could be repealed without any practical consequences.-United Kingdom:The repeal of spent legislation is primarily the responsibility of the Law Commission...
s.
- Australia - Australian Law Reform CommissionAustralian Law Reform CommissionThe Australian Law Reform Commission is an Australian independent statutory body established to conduct reviews into the law of Australia and advocate options for law reform...
- Canada - Law Commission of Canada established by the Law Commission of Canada Act on July 1, 1997, replacing the Law Reform Commission of Canada which had been dissolved in 1993 by the Mulroney government. On September 25, 2006, funding to the Commission was removed by the Harper government, although the Act establishing the commission has not been repealed.
- Alberta - Alberta Law Reform Institute
- British Columbia - British Columbia Law Institute, formed to replace the British Columbia Law Reform Commission, which had been disbanded due to lack of funding
- Manitoba - Manitoba Law Reform Commission
- Nova Scotia - Law Reform Commission of Nova Scotia
- Ontario - Law Commission of Ontario
- Saskatchewan - Saskatchewan Law Reform Commission
- Fiji - Fiji Law Reform CommissionFiji Law Reform CommissionThe Fiji Law Reform Commission is independent publicly funded commission, which helps develop and review legislation in Fiji. The Fiji Law Reform Commission Act established the Commission in 1979, to serve as an advisory body to the government and Parliament...
- Hong Kong - Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong, established in 1980
- India - Law Commission of IndiaLaw Commission of IndiaLaw Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India. Its major function is to work for legal reform. It membership primarily comprises legal experts, who are entrusted a mandate by the Government...
- Ireland - Law Reform Commission (Ireland)Law Reform Commission (Ireland)The Irish Law Reform Commission was established by legislation in 1975.It is an independent body which examines areas of the law and proposes reforms or changes. Most of their recommendations are adopted through legislation....
, established under the Law Reform Commission Act, 1975 - Jersey - Jersey Law Commission established by the States of JerseyStates of JerseyThe States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
in 1996 - Nepal - Nepal Law CommissionNepal Law CommissionNepal Law Commission is a statutory body to draft reform laws in Nepal.-Background:The Nepal Law Commission was first constituted by an executive decision in 1953, immediately after the down of multiparty democracy. The second, third, fourth and fifth Commissions were constituted in 1960, 1963,...
established by the Nepal Law Commissions Act 2007 - New Zealand - Law CommissionNew Zealand Law CommissionNew Zealand's Law Commission was established in 1986 by the Law Commission Act 1985. The Commission is a Crown Entity under the Crown Entities Act 2004....
established by the Law Commission Act - United Kingdom
- England and Wales - Law Commission (England and Wales)Law Commission (England and Wales)In England and Wales the Law Commission is an independent body set up by Parliament by the Law Commissions Act 1965 in 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reforms. The organisation is headed by a Chairman and four Law Commissioners...
- Scotland, the Scottish Law CommissionScottish Law CommissionThe Scottish Law Commission is Scottish advisory public body established by Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1965 to keep the law of Scotland under review and recommend necessary reforms to improve, simplify and update Scots law. It plays a leading role in developing the law for the people of...
, established by the Law Commissions Act 1965Law Commissions Act 1965The Law Commissions Act 1965 was an Act which created the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission, tasked with reviewing English and Scots law respectively.-Background:...
at the same time as the Law Commission in England and Wales - Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Law CommissionNorthern Ireland Law CommissionThe Northern Ireland Law Commission is a Law Commission in Northern Ireland created under section 50 of the Justice Act 2002, implementing recommendations following the Good Friday Agreement. It replaced the existing non-statutory Law Reform Advisory Committee.The Northern Ireland Law Commission...
(formerly the Law Reform Advisory CommitteeLaw Reform Advisory CommitteeThe Law Reform Advisory Committee was a body that reviewd the civil law in Northern Ireland, with a view to making recommendations for law reform. It was the equivalent in Northern Ireland of the Law Commission in England and Wales or in Scotland...
)
- England and Wales - Law Commission (England and Wales)