5.14 Understanding law reports from the European Court of Justice When you read ECJ reports—unless you are reading them in French—you will be reading a translation, for French is the working language of the court and the French judicial style is the commonly accepted model. You will find short sentences with facts, arguments and final conclusions. The language is formal and characterless in contrast to English judgments, which take on the linguistic style of the particular judge. There are no judgments disagreeing and only one judgment reflecting the opinion of the Court. Indeed, judges are sworn to secrecy over disagreements! Instead of reading a judgment that is conducting a reasoned argument one tends to find the listing of ultimate conclusions as assertions. Figure 5.24: layout of a Community case

DOI link for 5.14 Understanding law reports from the European Court of Justice When you read ECJ reports—unless you are reading them in French—you will be reading a translation, for French is the working language of the court and the French judicial style is the commonly accepted model. You will find short sentences with facts, arguments and final conclusions. The language is formal and characterless in contrast to English judgments, which take on the linguistic style of the particular judge. There are no judgments disagreeing and only one judgment reflecting the opinion of the Court. Indeed, judges are sworn to secrecy over disagreements! Instead of reading a judgment that is conducting a reasoned argument one tends to find the listing of ultimate conclusions as assertions. Figure 5.24: layout of a Community case

5.14 Understanding law reports from the European Court of Justice When you read ECJ reports—unless you are reading them in French—you will be reading a translation, for French is the working language of the court and the French judicial style is the commonly accepted model. You will find short sentences with facts, arguments and final conclusions. The language is formal and characterless in contrast to English judgments, which take on the linguistic style of the particular judge. There are no judgments disagreeing and only one judgment reflecting the opinion of the Court. Indeed, judges are sworn to secrecy over disagreements! Instead of reading a judgment that is conducting a reasoned argument one tends to find the listing of ultimate conclusions as assertions. Figure 5.24: layout of a Community case