論具殺傷力合理審查基準—— 以平等權相關案例為中心

美國聯邦最高法院在平等權保護的領域中，原本已透過諸多的案件逐步地發展出三重違憲審查基準，分別為合理審查基準、中度審查基準與嚴格審查基準。然而近期卻在原先穩固的三重審查基準下，出現了一些表面上採用合理審查基準，但違憲審查結果卻是宣告法令失效的判決，學說上稱其為具殺傷力的合理審查基準，亦即表面上是採用合理審查基準，但實際上違憲審查的內容和結果卻比傳統合理審查基準更為嚴格，亦與中度審查基準不同。而如此違憲審查基準的異變，似乎掏空了原本所建立的穩固三重審查基準，不僅造成審查基準適用上的混亂，違背了適用三重違憲審查基準的規則，也破壞了司法違憲審查的可預測性。不過相對地，美國聯邦最高法院之所以會發展出具殺傷力的合理審查基準，正式為了彌補原本三重審查基準於違憲審查制度內的僵化與其所無法解決的問題。本研究旨在探討具殺傷力合理審查基準的內涵以及其對整個違憲審查制度的影響，將分別分析具殺傷力合理審查基準相較於傳統合理審查基準的不同之處；在何種條件將較容易觸發具殺傷力的合理審查基準；具殺傷力合理審查基準是否僅為偽裝的中度審查基準；具殺傷力合理審查基準在美國違憲審查制度中造成了何種不利影響；相對地，其彌補了何種三重違憲審查基準的缺失。本文主張：具殺傷力合理審查基準與傳統合理審查基準、中度審查基準皆不同，是一獨立的新興違憲審查基準，雖然其將破壞三重違憲審查基準的規則性，降低司法可預測性，但同時得於避免建立新的嫌疑分類下，達到消除多元化焦慮並使該受平等保護的群體不受歧視。

關鍵字

美國法；違憲審查基準；具殺傷力合理審查基準；會咬人的合理審查基準；三重違憲審查基準；平等權

並列摘要

The U.S. Supreme Court has gradually developed three-tiered judicial review in equal protection and substantive due process cases. The three-tiered judicial review includes rational basis review, intermediate level review, and strict review. However, recently some cases employ a searching scrutiny under the guise of traditional rational basis review; that is, to employ rational basis with bite. In each of these cases, the Court purported to apply the rational basis test, and yet it invalidated legislation which it certainly would have upheld under traditional analysis. Rational basis with bite, therefore, fosters lower court confusion as to what version of the rational basis test to apply in any given case. In addition, Justices, including those on the Supreme Court, could sit as a Superlegislature, usurping legislative power at a great cost to the majoritarian process. On the contrary, rational basis with bite also solves the problem in three-tiered judicial review. The purpose of the study is to explore the content of rational basis with bite, and its influence in judicial review. The study analyzes the following thesis: the difference between rational basis review and rational basis review with bite; the critical factors that triggers rational basis review with bite; whether the rational basis review with bite is the guise of intermediate review; the positive and negative effects caused by rational basis review with bite. This study proposes that rational basis review with bite is different from rational basis review and intermediate review. Although rational basis review with bite may cause negative effects, it is able to prevent establishing new suspect classification. Meanwhile, it could also diminish the pluralism anxiety and protect those who should be under equal protection from discrimination.