Originalism and Textualism Are not Enough against Constitutional Lawfare

13 Pages Posted: 22 Jun 2021

See all articles by Ugo Stefano Stornaiolo Silva

Ugo Stefano Stornaiolo Silva

University of Orleans - Faculty of Law and Economics; Catholic University of America (CUA) - Columbus School of Law; Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Faculty of Law and Administration, Students; Mises Institute

Date Written: May 15, 2021

Abstract

English Abstract: Due to the extensive powers the Ecuadorian Constitutional Court wields, one can consider it is, by Carl Schmitt’s definition, a sovereign entity that can decide on the exception of the application of rules.

As such, it had been used by progressive activist justices as well by progressive militants for a form of lawfare against the Constitution itself, perverting the articles it includes to protect traditional rights and institutions, such as life from conception and the meaning of marriage as a union between man and woman.

Most of the conservative wing of the Court has failed to counter this problem using originalist and textualist interpretations of the Constitution, which demonstrates that those constitutional interpretative doctrines are not enough to protect and promote the common good objectives set forth by the Constitution, as well as its own constitutional integrity.

Spanish Abstract: Debido a los amplios poderes que ostenta la Corte Constitucional ecuatoriana, se puede considerar que es, según la definición de Carl Schmitt, una entidad soberana que puede decidir sobre la excepción, entendiendo a esta como los casos en los que no se da la aplicación de normas generales.

Como tal, la Corte ha sido utilizado tanto por jueces activistas como por militantes progresistas para desarrollar una forma de lawfare contra la propia Constitución, pervirtiendo los artículos que incluye para proteger derechos e instituciones tradicionales, tales como la vida desde la concepción y el concepto de matrimonio como unión entre hombre y mujer.

La mayor parte del ala conservadora de la Corte no ha logrado contrarrestar este problema utilizando interpretaciones originalistas y textualistas de la Constitución, lo que demuestra que esas doctrinas interpretativas constitucionales no son suficientes para proteger y promover los objetivos del bien común establecidos por la Constitución, así como su propia integridad constitucional.

Keywords: Constitutional law, Constitutional interpretation, Constitutional Court, originalism, textualism, judicial activism, jurisprudence, Derecho constitucional, interpretación constitucional, Corte Constitucional, originalismo, textualismo, activismo judicial, jurisprudencia

Suggested Citation

Stornaiolo Silva, Ugo Stefano, Originalism and Textualism Are not Enough against Constitutional Lawfare (May 15, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3867010 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3867010

Ugo Stefano Stornaiolo Silva (Contact Author)

University of Orleans - Faculty of Law and Economics ( email )

Orleans
France

Catholic University of America (CUA) - Columbus School of Law ( email )

Washington, DC
United States

Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Faculty of Law and Administration, Students ( email )

Krakow, Lesser Poland
Poland

Mises Institute ( email )

Auburn, AL
United States

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