Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy

This paper emphasises the use of cultural knowledge and cultural expertise in court, with specific reference to civil proceedings. It adopts background scenarios characterised by the presence of ex officio judicial powers that introduce knowledge into trials regarding family and juvenile proceedings,...

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Main Author: Maria Giuliana Civinini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Copenhagen, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies 2022-03-01
Series:Naveiñ Reet: Nordic Journal of Law and Social Research
Online Access:https://tidsskrift.dk/nnjlsr/article/view/132005
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author Maria Giuliana Civinini
author_facet Maria Giuliana Civinini
author_sort Maria Giuliana Civinini
collection DOAJ
description This paper emphasises the use of cultural knowledge and cultural expertise in court, with specific reference to civil proceedings. It adopts background scenarios characterised by the presence of ex officio judicial powers that introduce knowledge into trials regarding family and juvenile proceedings, guardianship of ill and elderly people, and immigration and asylum proceedings. The assumption of this paper is that when a situation involving intercultural elements is brought to the attention of the court, the usual background knowledge of the judge may be insufficient to render meaningful judgement. In this situation, thanks to ex officio powers (in introducing facts, gathering evidence, raising legal and factual questions), the judge should be able to establish the elements to be examined through the lens of cultural diversity. The paper uses examples to illustrate judicial practices and then draws a set of initial conclusions about the status of cultural expertise in Italian civil procedures, the challenges of the present, and initiatives to be taken in a short-term perspective (training, panels of experts, deontological requirements for experts).
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spelling doaj.art-3aab5c668a4147cab8ac96b6d11deca82023-07-31T09:57:12ZengUniversity of Copenhagen, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional StudiesNaveiñ Reet: Nordic Journal of Law and Social Research2246-74832246-78072022-03-011110.7146/nnjlsr.vi11.132005Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy Maria Giuliana Civinini This paper emphasises the use of cultural knowledge and cultural expertise in court, with specific reference to civil proceedings. It adopts background scenarios characterised by the presence of ex officio judicial powers that introduce knowledge into trials regarding family and juvenile proceedings, guardianship of ill and elderly people, and immigration and asylum proceedings. The assumption of this paper is that when a situation involving intercultural elements is brought to the attention of the court, the usual background knowledge of the judge may be insufficient to render meaningful judgement. In this situation, thanks to ex officio powers (in introducing facts, gathering evidence, raising legal and factual questions), the judge should be able to establish the elements to be examined through the lens of cultural diversity. The paper uses examples to illustrate judicial practices and then draws a set of initial conclusions about the status of cultural expertise in Italian civil procedures, the challenges of the present, and initiatives to be taken in a short-term perspective (training, panels of experts, deontological requirements for experts). https://tidsskrift.dk/nnjlsr/article/view/132005
spellingShingle Maria Giuliana Civinini
Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy
Naveiñ Reet: Nordic Journal of Law and Social Research
title Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy
title_full Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy
title_fullStr Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy
title_full_unstemmed Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy
title_short Cultural Expertise in Civil Law in Italy
title_sort cultural expertise in civil law in italy
url https://tidsskrift.dk/nnjlsr/article/view/132005
work_keys_str_mv AT mariagiulianacivinini culturalexpertiseincivillawinitaly