An empirical research, conducted by the author among university students and the working population in Prague at the beginning of 1999, showed that second person singular address forms are gradually spreading at the expense of second person plural address forms among young Czechs, especially university students. The number of various social groups whose members use second person singular address forms as a mark of fellowship is growing. The confusion and uncertainty in choosing address forms which were observed in the interviewed Czech speakers can also be interpreted as a signal of oncoming changes in address forms usage in contemporary Czech.
Many respondents found it difficult to address persons of their age by second person plural address forms as well as use second person singular forms when addressing (significantly) older people, even when offered second person singular terms by the older speaker. Plural address forms between schoolmates or workmates of the same age are widely perceived as an unnecessary barrier between communication partners. On the other hand, the usage of reciprocal plural address forms in a formal, office environment is unanimously perceived as most appropriate.
Conflict-of-laws rules lead relatively often to the application of foreign law and the Czech judge, unlike judges of some other countries, is in principle obliged to apply that law. The issue of treatment of foreign law is covered by special regulation within Czech law. The new Private International Law Act 2012 contains section 23 entitled “Ascertainment and application of foreign law”, which builds upon the application of foreign law as it is perceived by contemporary Czech jurisprudence. The National Report also considers the possibilities to access to foreign law, under the viewpoint of both status quo, and further developments,in particular within the European Union.
Proof of causation between malpractice and damage is usually one of the key issues in the civil procedure. Scientific circles abroad hold wide discussions on whether the concept of causal nexus should not be abandoned in some cases. Proof of causation is extremely complex especially in medical malpractice cases. We know the input, we know the output, but what is happening in the organism remains to be a „black box“.
This article will try to focus on the current judicial practice in the Czech Republic, its shortcomings and it will also refer to legislative shortcomings. An attempt will be made to outline this with regard to the Principles of the European Tort Law (PETL).