Prof Jacques du Plessis

Distinguished Professor | Uitgelese Professor

BComm LLB LLM (Stell) PhD (Aberdeen)

 

 

 

Jacques du Plessis is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Private Law. His fields of interest include the law of contract, the law of unjustified enrichment, legal history and comparative law. He has been awarded the National Research Foundation’s President’s Award, a B1 evaluation, an Alexander von Humboldt-Fellowship, the Toon van den Heever-medal for Legal Science and Rector’s awards for excellence in research. In 2019 he held a Tijdschrift voor Privaatrecht Wisselleerstoel (Exchange Chair) at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Prof du Plessis is Vice-President of the World Society of Mixed Jurisdiction Jurists, a member of the editorial boards of a number of international law journals, and an Associate member of the International Academy of Comparative Law. He has also been an Invited Fellow of the Institute for European Private Law in Maastricht, a Visiting Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign Private and Private International Law in Hamburg and a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of European and Comparative Law in Oxford. He is engaged in a number of international comparative and historical studies on the law of contract and unjustified enrichment.

Professor du Plessis was awarded the degrees of BComm (Law), LLB and  LLM (cum laude) by the University of Stellenbosch, and a PhD in law by the University of  Aberdeen in Scotland. He is admitted as an attorney of the High Court of  South Africa and obtained a Certificate in Legal Practice (cum laude)  from the University of Cape Town.

 Jacques du Plessis is ʼn uitgelese Professor verbonde aan die Departement Privaatreg. Sy belangstellingsvelde is kontraktereg, ongeregverdigde verryking, regsgeskiedenis en regsvergelyking. Hy is ʼn ontvanger van die Nasionale Navorsingstigting (NNS) se Presidentstoekenning, ʼn B1-evaluering,  ʼn Alexander von Humboldt-genootskap, die Toon van den Heever-medalje vir Regswetenskap, asook die Rektorstoekennings vir voortreflike navorsing. In 2019 beklee hy ʼn Tijdschrift voor Privaatrecht Wisselleerstoel aan die Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Professor du Plessis is Vise-President van die World Society of Mixed Jurisdiction Jurists, ‘n lid van die redaksionele raad van ‘n aantal internasionale regstydskrifte, en ʼn mede-lid van die International Academy of Comparative Law. Hy was voorts ʼn uitgenooide genoot van die Institute for European Private Law in Maastricht,  ʼn besoekende navorsingsgenoot by die Max Planck-Instituut vir Regsvergelyking en Internasionale Privaatreg in Hamburg, asook ʼn besoekende genoot by die Institute of European and Comparative Law in Oxford. Hy is betrokke by ʼn aantal internasionale regsvergelykende en regshistoriese studies oor kontraktereg en verrykingsreg.

Professor du Plessis het die grade BComm (Regte), LLB en LLM (cum laude) aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch verwerf, asook ʼn PhD aan die Universiteit van Aberdeen in Skotland. Hy is toegelaat as prokureur van die Hoogeregshof van Suid-Afrika en het ʼn “Certificate in Legal Practice” (cum laude)  aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad verwerf.

Modules taught

LLB: Law of Contract/Enrichment Liability

LLM: Comparative Private Law

Modules aangebied

LLB: Kontraktereg/Ongeregverdigde verryking

LLM: Regsvergelykende Privaatreg

Fields of specialisation 

Law of Contract, Unjustified Enrichment, Comparative law and legal history

Areas van belangstelling

Kontraktereg, Ongeregverdigde Verryking, Regsvergelyking en regsgeskiedenis

 

Publications/Publikasies


Books/Boeke 

  • L F van Huyssteen, G F Lubbe, M F B Reinecke & J E du Plessis, Contract – General Principles 6 ed (Juta 2020).
  • J E du Plessis & GF Lubbe (eds) ‘n Man van Beginsel – Die Lewe en Nalatenskap van JC de Wet; A Man of Principle – The Life and Legacy of JC de Wet  (Juta 2013).
  • J E du Plessis The South African Law of Unjustified Enrichment (Juta 2012).
  • J E du Plessis Compulsion and Restitution (Stair Society, Edinburgh 2004).
  • C G van der Merwe & J E du Plessis (eds) Introduction to South African law (Kluwer International 2004).

Chapter in book/Hoofstukke in boeke

  • J du Plessis “Basic Features and Problems of the South African Law of Unjustified Enrichment” in Nils Jansen, Sonja Meier (eds): Iurium itinera, Historische Rechtsvergleichung und vergleichende Rechtsgeschichte/ Historical Comparative Law and Comparative Legal History – Reinhard Zimmermann zum 70. Geburtstag am 10. Oktober 2022 (2022) 531-552 (Mohr Siebeck).
  • J du Plessis “The Questionnaire for Drafting the National Reports’ in S Mancuso & M Bussani (ed) The Principles of BRICS Contract Law – A Comparative Study of General Principles Governing International Commercial Contracts in the BRICS Countries ISBN: 978-3-031-00843-6 (Springer 2022) 49-68.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 40’ in T Naudé & GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2022 Revision service 7; Original Service 2013) 40-1 – 40-18.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 41’ in T Naudé & GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2022 Revision service 7; Original Service 2013) 41-1 – 41-19.
  • J du Plessis “South African Report” in S Mancuso & M Bussani (ed) The Principles of BRICS Contract Law – A Comparative Study of General Principles Governing International Commercial Contracts in the BRICS Countries https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-00844-3_8 (Springer 2022) 297-358.
  • J du Plessis ‘Fairness and diversity in the South African law of contract’ in J Meir & S Donlan (eds) Comparative Law: Mixes, Movements, and Metaphors (2020) 47-66.
  • J du Plessis ‘Chapter 7 – Legality’ in LF van Huyssteen, G Reinecke, GF Lubbe & JE du Plessis (eds) Contract – General Principles 6 ed (Juta 2020) 208-259.
  • J du Plessis ‘Chapter 8 – Certainty’ in LF van Huyssteen, G Reinecke, GF Lubbe & JE du Plessis (eds) Contract – General Principles 6 ed (Juta 2020) 260-287.
  • J du Plessis & W Visser ‘Control of Price Related Terms in Standard Form Contracts in South Africa’ in Y M Atamer & P Pichonnaz (eds) Control of Price Related Terms in Standard Form Contracts ISBN 978-3-03023057-9 (Springer 2019) 605-630.
  • J du Plessis, ‘Reception, the law of unjustified enrichment in mixed legal systems, and a curious case of the compelled payment of another’s debt’ in: H Dondorp, M Schermaier & B Sirks (eds.), De rebus divinis et humanis – Essays in honour of Jan Hallebeek (2019) 123-133.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 40’ in T Naudé & GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2019; revision 4) 40-1 – 40-18.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 41’ in T Naudé & GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2019; revision 4) 41-1 – 41-18.
  • J du Plessis, ‘Comparative Law and the Study of Mixed Legal Systems’ in: M Reimann and R Zimmermann (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law (2 ed 2019) 474-501.
  • J du Plessis, ‘Reception, the law of unjustified enrichment in mixed legal systems, and a curious case of the compelled payment of another’s debt’, accepted for publication in a collection of essays in honour of Jan Hallebeek” in: H Dondorp / M Schermaier / B Sirks (eds) De rebus divinis et humanis – Essays in honour of Jan Hallebeek (2019) 123-133.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 40” in T Naudé and GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2017; second re-issue) 40-1 – 40-18.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 41” in T Naudé and GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2017; second re-issue) 41-1 – 41-18.
  • J E du Plessis “Possibility and Certainty”, in: D Hutchison and C Pretorius (eds) The Law of Contract in South Africa 3 ed (2017) 213-225.
  • J E du Plessis and P Huber “Chapter 3: Validity” in Stefan Vogenauer Commentary on the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (PICC) 2 ed (Oxford, 2015) 472-474, 497-523, 538-550.
  • J E du Plessis and D Visser ‘Disgorgement of Profits in South African Law’ in E Hondius and A Janssen (eds) Disgorgement of Profits: Gain-based Remedies throughout the World 978-3-319-18758-7 (Springer 2015) 345-367.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 41” in T Naudé and GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2014; Original Service 2013) 41-1 – 41-19 ISBN 9781485101499.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Section 40” in T Naudé and GTS Eiselen (eds) (Managing Editors), Commentary on the Consumer Protection Act (2014; Original Service 2013) 40-1 – 40-18  ISBN 9781485101499.
  • J E du Plessis “J C de Wet en die Struktuur van die Suid-Afrikaanse Kontraktereg” in J E du Plessis en GF Lubbe (eds) ‘n Man van Beginsel – Die Lewe en Nalatenskap van JC de Wet (Juta 2013) 137-189
  • J E du Plessis “Duress and related forms of pressure: a comparative perspective” in C Mitchell & W Swadling (eds) The Restatement Third: Restitution and Unjust Enrichment (Hart, Oxford, 2013) 89-110.
  • J E du Plessis “The enrichment claim of the mala fide improver of another’s property” in A Burrows, D Johnston & R Zimmermann (eds) Judge and Jurist – Essays in Memory of Lord Rodger (Oxford 2013) 413-429.
  • C G van der Merwe, M J de Waal & J E du Plessis “South Africa” in Vernon Palmer (ed) Mixed Jurisdictions Worldwide (Cambridge University Press, 2001) 145.
  • J E du Plessis “Force and fear” in Reinhard Zimmermann & Kenneth Reid (eds) A History of Private Law in Scotland, vol 2 (Oxford University Press, 2000) 101.
  • C G van der Merwe, J E du Plessis, M J de Waal, R Zimmermann & P Farlam “The Republic of South Africa” in V Palmer (ed) Mixed Jurisdictions Worldwide (Cambridge 2012) 95-215.
  • J E du Plessis “South Africa” in J M Smits (ed) Elgar Encyclopedia of Comparative Law 2nd ed (Elgar 2012) 814-819.
  • J E du Plessis “Possibility and Certainty” in Hutchison & Pretorius (eds) The Law of Contract in South Africa 2nd ed (Oxford 2012) 205-216.
  • J E du Plessis “The cause of action in Nissan South Africa (Pty) Ltd v Marnitz NO” in H Mostert & M J de Waal (eds) Essays in Honour of C G van der Merwe (2011) 1-22.
  • J E du Plessis “Comparative Law and the Study of Mixed Legal Systems” in R Zimmermann & M Reimann (eds), Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law (Oxford 2006), 477-512.
  • dū Blīsīs, Jāk, al‑qānūn al‑muqāran wa dirāsat al‑nuzum al‑qānūniyya al‑mukhtalita [Comparative Law and the Study of Mixed Legal Systems] in Raimān, Māthiyās/Zīmarmān, Rainhārd kitāb uksfūrd li‑l-qānūn al-muqāran [Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law] (2010) 711-762.
  • J E du Plessis & P Huber “Chapter 3: Validity” in Stefan Vogenauer & Jan Kleinheisterkamp Commentary on the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (PICC) (Oxford, 2009) 434-462, 477-482, 487-489.
  • J E du Plessis “Presumptions in South African law: an historical perspective” in R H Helmholz & W D H Sellar The Law of Presumptions: Essays in Comparative Legal History (Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, 2009) 227-252.
  • J E du Plessis “Duress”, “Undue influence” and “Fraud” in die Oxford International Encyclopaedia of Legal History (2009).
  • J E du Plessis “Possibility and certainty” in Hutchison & Pretorius (eds) The Law of Contract in South Africa (Oxford, 2009) 203-213.
  • J E du Plessis “Moontlikheid en sekerheid” in Hutchison & Pretorius (eds) Kontraktereg in Suid-Afrika (Oxford, 2009) 213-224.
  • J E du Plessis “South Africa” in Elgar Encyclopedia of Comparative Law (2006) 667-671.
  • J E du Plessis “Threats and excessive benefits or unfair advantage” in H MacQueen & R Zimmermann (eds) European Contract Law – Scots and South African Perspectives (Edinburgh Studies in Law, 2006), 176-202.
  • G F Lubbe & J E du Plessis “Contract” in C G van der Merwe & J E du Plessis (eds), Introduction to South African law (Kluwer International, 2004), 243-274.
  • J E du Plessis & W W McBryde, “Defects of consent” in Kenneth Reid, Daniel Visser, Reinhard Zimmermann (eds), Mixed Legal Systems in Comparative Perspective: Property and Obligation in Scotland and South Africa (Oxford University Press, Juta, 2004), 117-142.
  • J E du Plessis “Fraud and duress: a civil law perspective” in R Zimmermann & D Johnston (eds) The Comparative Law of Unjustified Enrichment (Cambridge University Press, 2002) 194-224.
  • Uittreksels uit PhD-tesis gepubliseer in J Beatson & E Schrage, Cases Materials and Texts on Unjustified Enrichment (Hart Publishing, Oxford & Oregon, 2003), 392-394.
  • J E du Plessis “Enkele opmerkings oor remedies, restitusie, gemengde regstelsels en die soektog na ‘n Europese ius commune” in J Smits & G Lubbe (eds), Remedies in Zuid-Afrika en Europa (Intersentia, METRO, Antwerp – Gröningen 2003) 25-35.

Journal articles/Joernaalartikels 

  • J du Plessis ‘Fairness in the Law of Contract – Reflections on Beadica’ (2022) 12 Constitutional Court Review 197-222.
  • J du Plessis ‘Comparative observations on the consequences of illegality’ (2022) 26 Edinburgh Law Review 408-415 DOI: 10.3366/elr.2022.0787.
  • J du Plessis, ‘Some thoughts on the consequences of illegal contracts’ 2021 Acta Juridica [= T Naudé & D Visser(eds) The Future of the Law of Contract – Essays in Honour of Dale Hutchison 177-202.
  • J du Plessis ‘Equity, fairness and unjustified enrichment: A civil-law perspective’ 2020 (83) THRHR 1-22.
  • J du Plessis ‘Long Live the Law of Unjustified Enrichment — A Response to Jansen’ 2019 Acta Juridica 371-394.
  • J du Plessis ‘Billikheid en Ongeregverdigde Verryking’ 2019(1) Tijdschrift voor Privaatrecht 607-660.
  • J du Plessis ‘Giving practical effect to good faith in the law of contract’ (2018) 18(3) Stellenbosch Law Review 379-419.
  • J du Plessis “Rethinking Notification in the Law of Contract” (2017) 80 Journal for Contemporary Roman-Dutch Law (THRHR) 113.
  • J du Plessis, ‘Jurists, Structures and the Development of the South African Law of Contract’ 2016-2017 Loyola Law Review 101-139.
  • J du Plessis ‘The right of an attorney to claim payment of costs from a third party’ 2016 Stellenbosch Law Review 292-308.
  • J du Plessis ‘Determining the moment when enrichment liability is quantified: the curious case of Paschke v Frans’ 2016 Journal for South African Law (TSAR) 281-293.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Illegal Contracts and the Burden of Proof’ (2015) 132 South African Law Journal 664-688.
  • J E du Plessis ‘Labels and Meaning: Unjust Factors and Failure of Purpose as Reasons for Reversing Enrichment by Transfer’ 2014 Edinburgh Law Review Vol 18 pp 416-433.
  • J E du Plessis “Protecting consumers against unconscionable conduct: section 40 of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008” 2012 (1) Tydskrif vir Hedendaagse Romeins-Hollandse Reg 24-40.
  • J E du Plessis “Comparison and evaluation: lessons from enrichment law” 2012 Rabels Zeitschrift 947-966.
  • J du Plessis “Introduction to papers presented at the session on Rechtsgeschichte, Rechtsvergleichung und Rechtsdogmatik: historisch-kritisches Kommentieren of the Rechtshistorikertag held in Münster in September 2010” (2011) 3 Zeitschrift für Europäisches Privatrecht 533-537.
  • J E du Plessis “The Restitution of undue transfers from an economic perspective” 2010 Restitution Law Review 35-50.
  • J E du Plessis “The condictio quasi indebiti” in Libellus ad Thomasium – Studies in Roman Law, Roman-Dutch Law and Legal History in Honour of Philip J Thomas –  2010 Fundamina 52-63.
  • J E du Plessis “The relevance of the plaintiff’s impoverishment in awarding claims based on unjustified enrichment” 2009(3) Stell LR 494-516
  • J E du Plessis “Professor Sir T B Smith en die ontwikkeling van die Skotse reg, oftewel, wat maak ‘n regsakademikus suksesvol?” (2006) 17(3) Stellenbosch Law Review 532-540.
  • J E du Plessis “Towards a rational structure of liability for unjustified enrichment: thoughts from two mixed jurisdictions” in Reinhard Zimmermann (ed), Grundstrukturen eines Europäischen Bereicherungsrechts (Mohr Siebeck 2005), 175-219; (2005) 122 South African Law Journal 142.
  • J E du Plessis “Mixed legal systems, especially the South African legal system, and the study of comparative Law” Electronic Journal of Comparative Law vol 9(3) October 2005 (http://www.ejcl.org/93/editor93.html.
  • J E du Plessis “Die Regsaard van Prestasie” 2002 (65)1 Tydskrif vir Hedendaagse Romeins-Hollandse reg [Journal for Contemporary Roman-Dutch law] 59; Vereniging Hugo de Groot-prys vir beste nuwe bydrae (2003)
  • J E du Plessis “Common law influences on the law of contract and unjustified enrichment in some mixed legal systems” (2003-4) 78 Tulane Law Review 219-256.
  • J du Plessis en R Zimmermann “The relevance of reverence: undue influence civilian style” 10 Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law 4 (2003) 345-379.
  • J E du Plessis “Some thoughts on consideration – a review article of Consideration, by Ferdinand Fromholzer” (1999) 10 Stellenbosch LR 110.
  • J E du Plessis “The promises and pitfalls of mixed legal systems: the South African and Scottish experiences” (1998) 9 Stellenbosch LR 338.
  • R Zimmermann & J E du Plessis “Basic features of the German law of unjustified enrichment” [1994] Restitution Law Review 14.
  • J E du Plessis & H Wicke “Woolwich Equitable Building Society and the condictio indebiti in Scots law” 15 October 1993 Scots Law Times 303.

Other/Ander

  • J E du Plessis ‘South African law as mixed legal system’, Proceedings of 75th annual conference of Japan Society of Comparative Law at Kyoto University, Kyoto 2-6-2012 (2013).

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