Jens M Scherpe – författare

Over the past 10 years, a convergence of scientific, demographic, legal and social developments has led to a significant influx of cases of international surrogacy. What was previously a marginal form of parenthood has become a multi-billion dollar industry, raising concerns for surrogate mothers, commissioning parents, and children alike. Lawyers, philosophers and health care professionals have struggled to formulate a framework to ensure the protection of surrogate mothers from exploitation, whilst combatting the vulnerability of commissioning parents to agencies and intermediaries, and providing children born as a result of this practice with certainty regarding their identity, status, and nationality.The transnational nature of the issues raised in relation to international surrogacy agreements means that individual states have struggled to take decisive action, and there remains a myriad of different responses to this issue. This book brings together experts from Eastern and Western backgrounds, to consider the way in which different jurisdictions have responded to surrogacy, both within their own borders, and when an international agreement takes place involving one of their citizens. Each chapter includes a discussion of the laws concerning the establishment and contestation of legal parentage through surrogacy under domestic law; the rules and laws concerning surrogacy arrangements on a domestic level; and approaches to recognition of legal parenthood acquired through surrogacy in other jurisdictions. In addition, the chapters consider the socio-economic context of surrogacy in the chosen jurisdictions, through questions concerning the profile of surrogate mothers and commissioning parents, the involvement of intermediaries, and the nature of the interactions between these parties. In this way, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of the confluences and tensions in the way surrogacy is approached in these jurisdictions, and seeks to identify trends emerging from these different regions.In doing so, Eastern and Western Perspectives on Surrogacy seeks to contribute to the greater understanding of the regulation of surrogacy throughout the world, and will serve as a reference work for anyone involved in practice, academia or law reform in this subject area.

The Impact of Institutions and Organisations on European Family Law looks at the impact that institutions and organisations have had, and continue to have, on European family law. In many ways the chapters in this volume provide the easiest explanation for the existence of a European family law. While there is no European body that could actually legislate definitively on family law even the European Union has no such mandate there are still some obvious institutions that have a very direct impact on European family law. These can be divided into two groups; namely those that have a direct impact, such as the European Court of Human Rights and the European Union, and those that have an indirect impact, such as the Commission on European Family Law (CEFL), the Council of Europe and the International Commission on Civil Status (ICCL/CIEC) as well as the private international law instruments of the Hague Conference (HCCH) and the EU. Together, with religion, all of these institutions are contributing to the creation of a European family law.This book, and the others in the set, will serve as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in family law. It will be of particular use to students and scholars of comparative and international family law, as well as family law practitioners.Contributors: H. Baker, K. Boele-Woelki, D. Coester-Waltjen, G. De Baere, M. Groff, K. Gutman, N. Lowe, J. Mair, D. Martiny, W. Pintens, J.M. Scherpe

The Changing Concept of 'Family' and Challenges for Domestic Family Law explores the changing concept of 'family', with the current social, political, medical and scientific challenges for domestic family law discussed in over 20 European jurisdictions. National reports describe the current law and legal development for 'horizontal' (the law of relationships between adults such as marriage, divorce, cohabitation, same-sex relationships), 'vertical' (the law governing the relationships between adults and children, such as parentage including artificial reproductive techniques and surrogacy, parental responsibility and adoption) and individual (the law of names and recognition of gender identity) family law. They show that, while considerable legal and societal diversity still exists within Europe, family law, in many areas, is developing along similar lines, with a convergence towards a European family law.This book, and the others in the set, will serve as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in family law. It will be of particular use to students and scholars of comparative and international family law, as well as family law practitioners.Contributors: G. Douglas, L. Francoz Terminal, T. Keller, O. Khazova, G. Kubi ková, A. Lamarca Marquès, D. Martiny, K. McK Norrie, B. Novak, E. Örücü, J.M. Scherpe, I. Schwenzer, B. Sloan, T. Sverdrup, F. Swennen, O. Szeibert, M. Giovanna E. Zervogianni

Family Law in a European Perspective examines core aspects of family law from a comparative European perspective: marriage, divorce, cohabitation, same-sex relationships, the financial consequence of divorce, adoption, parentage and surrogacy, parental responsibility, the child's welfare, and law concerning older people. These topics have been the most debated in family law over the past century. They cover areas where national family laws have reacted, or will need to react, to the challenges of societal changes, medical advances and institutional pressures including decisions of the European Courts. The contributions show diversity in, as well as developments towards, a common European family law.This book, and the others in the set, will serve as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in family law. It will be of particular use to students and scholars of comparative and international family law, as well as family law practitioners.Contributors: M. Antokolskaia, P. Beaumont, I. Curry-Sumner, C. Fenton-Glynn, J. Ferrer-Riba, R. George, J. Herring, J. Miles, J.M. Scherpe, C. Sörgjerd, K. Trimmings

The Present and Future of European Family Law explores the essence of European family law - and what its future may be. It compares and analyzes existing laws and court decisions, identifies trends in legislation and jurisprudence, and also forecasts (and in some cases proposes) future developments. It establishes that while there is, at present, no comprehensive European family law, elements of an 'institutional European family law' have been created through decisions by the European Court on Human Rights and by the Court of Justice of the European Union as well as other EU instruments. At the same time an 'organic European family law' is beginning to emerge. The laws in many European jurisdictions have developed similarly and have 'grown together', not only as a result of the aforementioned institutional pressures, but also as a result of societal developments, and comparable reactions to medical and societal advances and changes. Hence there already is a body of institutional and organic European family law, and it will continue to grow.This book, and the others in the set, will serve as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in family law. It will be of particular use to students and scholars of comparative and international family law, as well as family law practitioners.

This book deals with a subject that has recently been the focus of debate and law reform in many jurisdictions: how much scope should spouses have to conclude agreements concerning their financial affairs - and under what circumstances should such agreements be binding and enforceable? These marital agreements include pre-nuptial, post-nuptial and separation agreements.The book is the result of a British Academy-funded research project which investigated and compared the relevant law of England and Wales, Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the jurisdictions of the United States. In addition to chapters on these jurisdictions, the book includes a chapter on the 'English practitioner's view'. It also provides a comparative analysis of the different matrimonial property regimes and the rules on marital agreements that explores underlying themes and principlesand makes recommendations for regulating marital agreements.A key theme is the function and effect of marital agreements in the different jurisdictions. Thus, each chapter first explains the underlying 'default' rules for ancillary relief/matrimonial property and maintenance. It then analyses the current rules for marital agreements, and gives a brief account of the private international law rules.The book provides a comprehensive source of reference on ancillary relief/matrimonial property and maintenance and the rules on pre-nuptial, post-nuptial and separation agreements in 14 jurisdictions. It offers guidance for academics and practitioners dealing with international matters, and a basis for discussions on law reform.'I applaud the vision and perseverance of Jens Scherpe in having conceived this book and, with so much distinguished help, in now bringing it to birth. I will be using it for many years and I warmly invite my fellow family lawyers across the world to do likewise.'Foreword by The Rt Hon Lord Wilson of Culworth, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United KingdomThis title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's Family Law online service.

Das Buch geht auf ein Gutachten zurück, das vom Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Privatrecht im April 2004 für das Bundesverfassungsgericht erstattet wurde. Anlaß war ein konkretes Normenkontrollverfahren, in dem das Gericht vor die Frage gestellt wurde, ob es mit dem Gleichheitssatz des Grundgesetzes vereinbar sei, daß nach dem deutschen Transsexuellengesetz nur deutsche Staatsbürger oder Personen mit deutschem Personalstatut den Antrag auf Anerkennung einer Geschlechtsumwandlung stellen dürfen.Zur Klärung dieser Frage wird zunächst der verfassungsrechtliche Rahmen auf der Grundlage früherer Urteile des BVerfG skizziert. Es folgen Darstellungen der Rechtslage in 18 Ländern (Europa, Australien, Amerika) mit einer zusammenfassenden Analyse sowie eine Untersuchung von Urteilen des EuGHMR zur Europäischen Menschrechtskonvention (EMRK) und des EuGH. Schließlich werden Alternativen zur bestehenden deutschen Regelung aufgezeigt. Im Ergebnis zeigt sich, daß die in Frage stehende Norm des deutschen Transsexuellengesetzes gegen das Grundgesetz und gegen die EMRK verstößt, so daß eine neue Regelung nach dem Vorbild der geschilderten Alternativen geschaffen werden sollte.

Die Existenz nichtehelicher Lebensgemeinschaften in verschiedensten Formen in den westlichen Ländern ist ein unumstößliches Faktum. Mangels umfassender gesetzlicher Rahmenbedingungen besteht für diese Lebensgemeinschaften jedoch eine Fülle von Rechtsproblemen, so etwa bei der Auflösung der Lebensgemeinschaft durch Trennung oder Tod und bei nichtehelichen Kindern. Angesichts dieser Tatsachen darf sich der Gesetzgeber nicht länger der Lösung dieser Rechtsprobleme verschließen. Kernfrage hierbei bleibt, wie weit Regelungen greifen sollen, insbesondere in Hinblick darauf, dass eine Vielzahl der Menschen in nichtehelichen Lebensgemeinschaften sich gerade bewusst gegen eine enge Rechtsbeziehung entschieden hat. Eine mögliche künftige Regelung steht daher ganz zwischen zwei Polen: Dem Schutzbedürfnis der schwächeren Partei und der Kinder einerseits und der Privatautonomie andererseits. Zahlreiche Länder verfügen über sehr unterschiedliche Gesetze zu nichtehelichen Lebensgemeinschaften. Vor dem Hintergrund der langsamen, aber stetigen Heranbildung erster Strukturen eines "europäischen Familienrechts" können rechtsvergleichende Erfahrungen helfen, ein Modell für Deutschland zu entwickeln.