LAW OF DURESS IN ISLAMIC LAW AND COMMON LAW: A ...

Islamic Studies, 30:3 (1991) 349
For example, conarning tbe Wbility of involuntary coofedom, the Supreme Court
baa~aniadividualizcdrpproeehbsredonthetotrlityd~.(3ulombev.
Canoectieut, 367 US., 3%. 602 (1961); Fikes v. Alabama, 352 U.S. 191,197 (1957), Paync
v. Artuua. 356. U.S. 560. 567 (1958); Haley v. Ohio. 332. U.S. 596. 599 (1948). Sec,
Mdloy v. Hogan, 378 U.S. 1.7. (1964); Haynts v. W-, 373 U.S. 503 (1963) Minay
v. Arinnu, 437 U.S. 385 (1978). In Cukms6e. while atstiq that dmtahcu h the utiinatc
test of the ntidity of umfcdsions, the Supreme Court recognLsd that this h not &ly a
quation of pychololly but nrlee of law applied to psychological facts. In Stein v. New York.
346 U.S 156.182-186 (1952) m'd on other grounds. Jsctson v. Denno. 378 U.S. 368 (1964).
the Cwrt uaerted that sina physical violence serves no lawful pqm& it is inhenntly
d. Intamgation docs serve a axial value and, tbmfore, it i not inbcrently coercive.
Sec.Pletcber. "Individualiution",pp. 1m-1mand Fiagamte. VicZindElllion, pp. SlW.
ThcImpedofdmoresisevidentinthe~ofanradmarri.ges.Se~notiom
concerning women's honour played a larger rde than they at present do. Sac. Memdith v.
Meredith. 79 Mo. App. 636 (1899). (Threatending to kill the man who dishonoured a
daugbtm is not dureaa); Shepberd v. Shepherd. 192 S.W. 658. 661-63 (1917). (threats that
raulthaman~the~he~tedandpomiaedto~inotdurrrv
bealeethmisastrongprerrumptiOnthattbemarrisgewasentmdhtoinMmntof
moral obligations); Sec also, L.N. Bmwn. 'The Shotgun marriage," 42 Tul. L. Rev. 837
(1968). D. Bradky. "Duress and Arranged Marriages," 46. Modem L. Rev. 499 (1983);
Wertheimer, C h , pp. 71-n.
A eue miming from outside the field of dues dmomtrata, that even juries can believe
that there i h a p a choice. In Maddl v. Rraoe. 511 S.W. 2d 225 (Ts. 1974). Marshall
was held priooner in his how by his neighbow's vidous boar. The boar had charged Marahdl
ten or twelve timcs. MarsbaU had pmioudy disarssed the Hog's viaoumea with defendant.
Eventually, the boar managed to in@ Marshall as be attempted to kave hio home. The
jury found that MarsbaU was conbibutody negligent for fading to build a face around hio
~,andbe*~therisLofinjurywhen,despiteofhiob~ofthe
v i h propearities of boar. Madd faikd to aboot the boar. Thc Court of Appcd affhncd.
Thc Supreme Court of Texan held that contributory ne-a is not a dsfoaa in stria
lirbility cases. Importantly, the Court held that Marshall did not anumc the risk because
he did not have a free and voluntary choice. The plaintiff's choice3 of riaking injury arc
remaining a Ppironer at home mere not as a mattcr of law the vduntary choices to which
the law mtiW him. Additionally. the daughter ofthe aoimal was not areaonable al-tive
sina be d d have faad pnxca,tion for ouch an act. Idcm, at 2#%1. Evidently, tbe
Covrtwasforcedbythe jurie8uns~emlyvadicttoa~prrtcnrionrofaviYmenx,me.
'h Cow? had to rely on legal standards, and on the I@ jargon of "as a mattcr of law"
which in reality betray idea of appmpriate social bebaviow. and balancing of rights and
entiUemmts. ilia arc is d*arsred h Wcrtheimer, Cocrdan p. 61.
Kaph v. K.plan. la. N.E. 2d. M6.710 (1962). (the threat of personal embamsmmt
wuwt~asnttorendcrpl.intitibmnofqdtyofd~ti.lformaLingacon~);
ace. Wertheimer. Corrdon, p. 12.
Inordertopmvedterytheaccuoerha~topmvidefourwi~whobdtheseNd
ret including penetration without apying. Sec, on Qcrdhf (the crime of ururing mucone of
sdultery or fornication). Ibn Rushd. Biddym d-MyW, (Cairo Mumtapha Halabi. 1981),
VOI. n, pp. 44043.
'he MPC, docs not ~~4)gniSe threats to reputation in criminal carcs. Sac note W above
and acannpanying W.
WV. Lewis, 4 S.E. 2d. 464,468 (Cia. 1939). lbis case is d i d in Wertheimcr, Coercion,
P. 38.
Ibe Court in m, hoveva, atated that, 'lbc thnat. . . must be suf6cicnt to ovmanc
the mind and will of a penon of onbary hem." Id.. p. 467. 'hk might uplrin the
court's duision. Oae ferL the Court WM motivated by mutated policy (or otherwbe)
conaidemtiom cspeeidly in Light of the fad that the purportbdly ~d that a -tiff