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Comparative Law Review

The Concept of Necessity. Some Remarks
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  • The Concept of Necessity. Some Remarks
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  4. ARTICLES AND SHORTER NOTES

The Concept of Necessity. Some Remarks

Authors

  • Karol Dobrzeniecki Nicolaus Copernicus University, Department of Legal Theory, Faculty of Law https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6364-9793

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/CLR.2020.005

Keywords

necessity, state of necessity, law of necessity, criminal law, constitutional law, public international law

Abstract

The article aims to provide a general view of the concept of necessity (la.: necessitas) and its selected manifestations in the legal sphere (theory and practice).

The author proves that at the most general level of considerations, the reaction to an emergency always fits in with a specific philosophy of law that conditions the processes of its creation, application and validity. The article mentions several variants of answers to the following fundamental questions: Can the law provide for any exceptions? Should the activity − which was to deal with a particular threat − always be grounded in positive law? If not, how should the acts outside the scope of this law be treated? These themes have been present in legal thought for centuries. Within individual areas of law, references to necessity and the state of necessity manifest themselves in different ways. Selected institutions of canon, criminal, constitutional and international law will be provided as examples and discussed later on. As part of a synthetic review of these cases, the similarities and differences in the perception of necessity (state of necessity) and the ways of integrating it into individual legal solutions are presented.

References

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T. Aquinas, Treatise on law, transl. J. B. Atkinson, Hackett Publishing, 2000, p. 61 [question 96, article 6].

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M. Gur-Arye, Should the criminal law distinguish between necessity as a justification and necessity as an excuse?, “The Law Quarterly Review” 1986, vol. CII, p. 71-75;

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H. A. Washington (ed.), The writings of Thomas Jefferson, vol. V, Being his autobiography, correspondence, reports, messages, addresses, and other writings, official and private, John C. Riker, 1854, pp. 40-41, 378-380.

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J Crawford, A. Pellet, S. Olleson et al. (eds), The Law of international responsibility, Oxford University Press, 2010., p. 497.

A. J. Poblador, The defense of necessity in international law, “Philippine Law Journal” 1982, vol. LVII, p. 353-359.

Comparative Law Review

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Published

2021-01-29

How to Cite

1.
DOBRZENIECKI, Karol. The Concept of Necessity. Some Remarks. Comparative Law Review. Online. 29 January 2021. Vol. 26, pp. 139-154. [Accessed 1 July 2025]. DOI 10.12775/CLR.2020.005.
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Vol. 26 (2020)

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ARTICLES AND SHORTER NOTES

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