Jean-Benoist Belda

Jean-Benoist Belda is a Lecturer in private law and criminal sciences at the Catholic University of the West (UCO Nantes) in the Faculty of Law, Economics, Management and Political Science. He also teaches a seminar on dispute resolution at Sciences Po Paris and serves as Head of the 2nd year Law degree on the Nantes campus. His academic journey began with private law studies from L3 to Master 2 at the University of Montpellier, where he later earned his doctorate in private law in 2016.

Dr. Belda's research is fundamentally multidisciplinary, bridging both private and public law domains. His primary focus centers on the role of the judge and the complex question of how legal standards are applied and interpreted. He integrates philosophy of law and theory of law as essential analytical tools, distinguishing between philosophy's normative 'why' questions and theory's descriptive 'how' questions. His work challenges simplistic notions of judges merely applying law, instead exploring the delicate balance judges must maintain between legal obligations and interpretive freedoms.

His scholarly output reveals a consistent thread examining judicial interpretation, legal realism, and the normative power of courts, particularly the French Court of Cassation. His publications span diverse areas including civil liability, contract law, family law, animal law, and judicial methodology, demonstrating both theoretical depth and practical application across multiple legal domains.

• First prize for thesis from the Law Unit (2018)

Dr. Belda's teaching portfolio at UCO Nantes encompasses a comprehensive range of law subjects including Personal Law (License 1), Civil Procedure and Business Law (License 2), and Social Law (License 3). His practical experience extends to serving as a legal assistant at the Court of Cassation, where he contributed to the Annual Study of the Court for 2018 and 2019, focusing on the Court's normative power and property jurisprudence. His research collective affiliation with CREED demonstrates his active participation in scholarly networks.

His work with the Collective The Unity of Law, including his prize-winning thesis published as part of their collection, positions him at the intersection of academic research and practical judicial analysis, particularly regarding the realistic interpretation of judicial functions within the French legal system.