Bình luận Án lệ số 58 về tình tiết định khung hình phạt tại điểm c khoản 3 Điều 244 của Bộ Luật Hình sự năm 2015 trên cơ sở các quy tắc giải thích pháp luật

The article analyzes precedent No. 58/2023/AL regarding the penal framework determining factors provided in Article 244(3)(c) of the Penal Code 2015 on the crime of violating regulations on the protection of endangered, precious, and rare animals. Using the case study method combined with comparative law, the article evaluates the shift in Vietnamese legal thinking. Precedent No. 58/2023/AL serves as evidence of the Court’s creative application of the legal interpretation rules derived from the common law system to overcome the grammatical deficiency of the provision in Article 244(3)(c) of the Penal Code 2015. This finding affirms the proactive role of the judge as the guardian of the reasonableness of the law and contributes to the formation of a precedent culture. Furthermore, this precedent is significant as it provides a template for interpreting statutes with similar grammatical structures, ensuring accurate penalty framing, while also opening new avenues for research into the constitutional limits of judicial law interpretation and creation.