Executive Summary

 

I.          Introduction

 

II.        The right of access to justice and the obligation to remove
economic obstacles to ensure human rights

 

            a.         The Obligation to Provide Free Legal Counsel

 

            B.         Procedural Costs, Location of Tribunals, and the Right of Access to Justice

 

            C.         Situations of Systematic Exclusion from Access to Justice

 

            D.         Conclusions

 

III.         Administrative due process and assurance of social rights

 

            A.         Effectiveness of Due Process in Administrative Proceedings

 

            B.         Limits of the Discretionary Authority of the State

 

            C.         Elements that Comprise Due Process of Law in Administrative Proceedings

 

                        1.         The Guarantee of a Hearing for the Determination of Rights.  The
       Right to Legal Representation

 

                        2.         Prior Notification of Charges

 

                        3.         The Right to a Reasoned Decision

 

                        4.         Publicity of Administrative Proceedings

 

                        5.         The Principle of a Reasonable Time in Administrative Proceedings

 

                        6.         The Right to Judicial Review of Administrative Decisions

 

            d.         Conclusions

 

IV.        Due process of law in JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS concerning social rights

 

            A.    Due Process of Law as a Guarantee of the Right of Access to Justice

 

   B.    Elements that Comprise Due Process of Law in Judicial Proceedings

 

                        1.         The Principle of Equality of Arms

 

                        2.         The Scope of Judicial Review of Administrative Decisions

 

                        3.         The Right to a Reasoned Decision on the Merits of a Matter

 

                        4.         Trial within a Reasonable Time

 

            c.         Conclusions

 

V.        The substance of the right to effective judicial protection against violation of social rights

 

            A.    The Right to Effective Judicial Protection in the American Convention on
Human Rights

 

            B.    The Obligation to Provide Simple, Prompt, and Effective Remedies

 

            C.    Judicial Remedies for Effective Protection of Rights

 

                   1.      Provisional Protection of Rights

 

                   2.      The Right to Effective Judicial Protection against Collective Violations of Human Rights

 

                   3.      The Right to Effective Judicial Protection against Individual Violations in the Area of Social Rights

 

 D.      The Right to an Effective Judicial Remedy and Development of Adequate Judgment Enforcement Mechanisms

           

 E.       Conclusions

 

 

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