法律改革的相關討論近來已在東亞蔚為風潮。其重點反映在強化法治這個訴求上。只是如何強化法治各國看法不一。究竟法治的內涵為何？當各國汲取西方國家經驗來建構或改革自己的法律體系時，他們是否已注意到不同法系有各自不同的法學方法？講員梅森納教授以他曾在美國德國兩地攻讀法學博士的學習經驗，擔任過多家跨國企業法務顧問以及日本法律教育改革委員會諮詢顧問的實務經驗，向臺灣法學界提出他個人的忠告。 梅教授首先指出通往法治的道路各國不同。法治的實踐與法治主義的兩個基本要素—規則與執行規則的機制—息息相關。每一個法律體系對於兩個基本要素要其不等的側重。各國間法治實踐的差異即肇因於此。因此他正告亞洲的法律人：在援引外國法治的經驗時，應該要意識西方各國在於法治的實踐上的差異。差異反映在各國有其獨特的法學方法。 經由檢視美國，德國以及日本的法制。梅教授指出，臺灣必須為自己選擇一條通往法治之路。而選擇必然會影響法律改革的方向與步驟。同時他強調，達成法治理想的方法中，並不存在有唯一正確的作法。臺灣法學界的目標不應是確認那一種外國法制是最佳的選擇。而是應致力於為臺灣量身訂作一套屬於臺灣的法治制度。 Talk of law reform is in the air throughout East Asia. Whether in Beijing or in Tokyo or here, law reform is spoken of in terms of strengthening the “Rule of Law”. But what is the Rule of Law? Different legal systems have different roads to reach the Rule of Law. These different roads are noticeable mainly in the different emphases different systems place on two critical elements in the realization in any Rule of Law State, namely rules and the machinery for implementing the rules, i.e., courts and administrative agencies. The Rule of Law makes demands on both the legal rules themselves and on the institutions charged with implementing the law. Fulfillment of the Rule of Law requires both rules and institutions. But among those countries that have the Rule of Law, there are noticeable differences in how they their rules and institutions contribute to fulfilling the Rule of Law. While there is considerable knowledge in Taiwan about western models of the Rule of Law, Taiwanese scholars who look abroad to consider the Rule of Law, should be aware of differenees in how the Rule of Law is implemented among the countries they consider as models. The road to the Rule of Law is unique for each states. Thus, after exploring the experiences of the German, American and Japanese systems, Professor Maxiner points out how infirmities in the Rule of Law necessarily cause you to have to choose among roads to the Rule of Law and to suggest how these choices may affect law reform. He would like to stress that these differences among legal methods demonstrate that there is no one right road to implement the Rule of Law. Taiwanese reformers should not seek for a preferred foreign choice, but to develop their own solution that works best in Taiwan.
