Law Commons^™

Can You Provide Evidence Of Insufficient Evidence? The Precautionary Principle At The Wto, Elisa Vecchione

Elisa Vecchione

This paper aims to demonstrate that the WTO jurisprudence on science-related trade disputes has become entangled with a specific vision of science that has prevented any possible application of the precautionary principle. This situation is due to reasons of both legal procedures specific to the WTO dispute settlement system and the substantive nature of precautionary measures. Indeed, their foundation on “insufficient scientific evidence” dramatically complicates the question of the probative value of science for the purpose of legal adjudication and creates a seemingly contradictory situation, of which the Panel on the EC-Biotech case confirmed to be a victim: that of …

Blatant Bribery Or Locally Lawful?: Is The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act’S “Local Laws” Defense Extinct?, Erik J. King

Erik J King

Under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), it is an affirmative defense if the payments in question were lawful under the written laws of a foreign country. This defense has been largely overlooked by commentators and used sparingly in the court system. This Note examines the utility of this defense, and finds that although the concept underlying the defense remains somewhat alive in certain types of foreign laws that could conceivably excuse a foreign investor, the defense has lost all practical value. U.S. judicial interpretations, multilateral efforts against similar exceptions in other anti-bribery laws, and the subsuming effect of other …

Exploration Into The Foreign Policy Impact Of Recent Immigration Laws, Luke Larson

Luke Larson

No abstract provided.

Auditor Liability To External Users For Misleading Financial Statements Of Publicly Listed Companies: Two Normative Propositions, John Ja Burke

John JA Burke

In his 2006 article, Professor Eric L. Talley undertook a limited, but important enterprise, to quantify the risk of cataclysmic legal liability faced by audit firms for failure to detect fraud in company prepared financial statements. Drawing primarily from the Securities Class Action Alert database, Professor Talley constructed a “conceptual diagram” to formulate the level of aggregate risk capable of threatening the viability of audit firms sustaining an adverse judgment. The enterprise contributed an objective framework to assist policymakers, both within and outside the United States, to develop appropriate regulatory reforms to address the audit industry’s demand to “limit exposure …

Relating Diagnosis-Related Groups: What Germany And The United States Can Learn From Each Other About Acute-Care Payment Systems, Timothy D. Martin

Timothy D Martin

In recent years, several countries have adopted diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment systems modeled after the system Medicare uses to reimburse providers for acute-care inpatient treatment. This paper compares the Medicare DRG system with the German DRG system and suggests improvements that might help both systems. First, Germany should proceed carefully in its attempt to reduce the length of hospital visits because its universal payment mechanism cannot shift costs to the private sector so inadequate payment could degrade the quality of care. Second, because both countries struggle with incorporating new treatments and technologies into their payment systems, they should both consider …

Imperial Ignition: Ecological Debt, Greenhouse Development Rights And Climate Change, Jonathan Stribling

Jonathan Stribling

This paper argues for legal principles to remedy the harm done to those least responsible for yet most affected by climate change. It examines approaches to developing the concepts of ecological and climate debt in U.S. law. This paper argues for the importance of understanding ecological debt and particularly “climate debt” in order to sustainably remedy climate change. The paper also argues that the principles of capacity and responsibility, which are the basis of the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDR) framework, are critical to remedying climate debt and should be included in global climate negotiations and U.S. environmental law.

Why Comply? An Analysis Of Trends In Compliance With Judgments Of The International Court Of Justice Since Nicaragua., Heather L. Jones

Heather L Jones

Decisions of the International Court of Justice have been met with substantial compliance in the modern era. Direct, defiant noncompliance -- where a state deliberately and ceaselessly rejects a decision of the Court and refuses to implement its judgment -- has not occurred in any case. In cases where noncompliancy has been present, the noncompliant behavior has been only initial or slight.

Pressure from the international community and the presence of international organizations raise the reputation costs associated with noncompliance thereby minimizing the risk of disobedience with judgments. Defiant noncompliance occurs where a judgment is in discord with a state’s …

Update On The New Iraqi Commission For Public Integrity And Audit Board Laws, Faris K. Nesheiwat

Ferris K Nesheiwat

No abstract provided.

Examining The Legal Mandate Of The International Fund For Agricultural Development (Ifad) In Financing Development: A Question Of Legal Limitation Or Performance?, Marieclaire Colaiacomo, Faith Kamau

Marieclaire Colaiacomo

Examining the Legal Mandate of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Financing Development: A Question of Legal Limitation or Performance?*

Faith Kamau and Marieclaire Colaiacomo

Abstract

In the wake of the global food crisis, IFAD’s relevance as a financier of agricultural development in developing countries has been in the limelight. Indeed there are concerns over what appears to be a problem of misalignment between IFAD’s legal mandate, its resources and the high expectations placed on the IFAD’s role in agricultural development. Given the trends in the global food situation, the urgency in coming up with adequate responses to …

Immigration Detention & Human Rights In The Lone Star State, Liane N. Noble

Liane N Noble

Every year, almost 400,000 individuals are held in immigration detention in the United States. These individuals—men, women, and even children—are held in a patchwork of federal, local, and private contract facilities. Surprisingly, one-third of all U.S. immigration detention beds are located in the state of Texas. Given the concentration of detention space in Texas and thus the unique issues facing that state, this report seeks to elucidate the key human rights issues surrounding immigration detention with a focus on the situation in Texas.

The information contained in this report was gathered using a variety of research methods, including: (1) review …

Liability For Damage Caused By Space Objects Under International And National Law, Paul S. Dempsey

Paul S Dempsey

ABSTRACT Because of the imposition of State liability for damage inflicted by space objects under the multilateral Space Law Conventions, many States have promulgated national legislation providing licensing, insurance and indemnification by commercial providers. In order to promote commercial operations in space, some States also have capped liability. This article addresses two principal issues: (1) the liability exposure of States for death, injury, or property damage by providers of commercial spaceflight; and (2) how States protect themselves in their domestic legislation through indemnification and insurance requirements in the licensing and regulation of launches, launch sites, launch vehicles, space vehicles and …

Investing In Distressed Italian Companies Under The Reformed Italian Bankruptcy Law - A Comparison With The Us Bankruptcy Code, Pierantonio Musso

Pierantonio Musso

This article presents a scheme to profitably invest in distressed Italian companies by taking advantage of the Italian Bankruptcy Law in comparison with the US Bankruptcy Code. The risks connected to the insolvency proceeding are analyzed under their economic effects and foreseen in their general appearance. Specific remedies to avoid or mitigate the potential risks are provided. Singular advantages, available only in the proposed investment scheme under the Italian Law, are described. As a result the investment produces a less risky and more profitable outcome than an investment in a non-distressed and non-Italian target company.

Holding Corporations To Account. Crafting Ats Suits In The Uk?, Simon J. Baughen

Simon J Baughen

The traditional province of international law is in the regulation of relations between States. However, with the tribunals at Nuremberg and Tokyo established at the end of the second world war, for the first time it became possible for individuals to incur criminal liability in respect of violation of a core of norms of customary international law, such as the prohibitions on war crimes and crimes against humanity. This process has continued with the UN’s establishment in the 1993 and 1994 of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (‘ICTY’) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (‘ICTR’) respectively, …

Private International Law As Global Governance: Beyond The Schize, From Closet To Planet, Horatia Muir-Watt

Horatia Muir-Watt

Despite the contemporary turn to law within the global governance debate, private international law remains remarkably silent before the increasingly unequal distribution of wealth and power in the world. By leaving such matters to its public international counterpart, it leaves largely untended the private causes of crisis and injustice affecting such areas as financial markets, levels of environmental pollution, the status of sovereign debt, the confiscation of natural resources, the use and misuse of development aid, the plight of migrating populations, and many more. This incapacity to rise to the private challenges of economic globalisation is all the more curious …

Smoked Success? Social, Cultural, And Legal Changes In The United States, Japan, And France Have Led To A Decline In Tobacco Use. Yet, Teenagers Refuse To Budge!, Dalila V. Hoover

Dalila V Hoover

Once considered a part of everyday life, tobacco consumption has become a global public health crisis that has transcended national borders. By the end of 2011, tobacco will have killed nearly six million people, including more than 600,000 of people exposed to tobacco smoke. If current smoking patterns continue, the toll will nearly double by 2030 with more than 8 million deaths. To safeguard the public’s health, the United States, Japan, and France have taken action to change the acceptability of smoking. Although they have adopted a different approach, they have successfully altered and redefined their cultural perception of tobacco …

Prospects For ‘Cooperation V. Dispute’ Over Water In The Middle East, Yaser Yousef Khalaileh

yaser yousef khalaileh

This paper addresses the prospects of the applicability of Watercourse international regime to achieve cooperation in the Middle East region. In so doing, an assessment of the environmental status of the water medium in the Middle East, and the main reasons for its deterioration, is to be made; an illustration of the basic international law rules that are specifically related to the use of international watercourses is to be deciphered; the extent of protection afforded to this medium under international law is then analysed; and an attempt to discuss the available possibility for applying international laws related to watercourse to …

Private International Law As Global Governance: Beyond The Schize, From Closet To Planet, Horatia Muir-Watt

Horatia Muir-Watt

Despite the contemporary turn to law within the global governance debate, private international law remains remarkably silent before the increasingly unequal distribution of wealth and power in the world. By leaving such matters to its public international counterpart, it leaves largely untended the private causes of crisis and injustice affecting such areas as financial markets, levels of environmental pollution, the status of sovereign debt, the confiscation of natural resources, the use and misuse of development aid, the plight of migrating populations, and many more. This incapacity to rise to the private challenges of economic globalisation is all the more curious …

What's Wrong With Forum Shopping? An Attempt To Identify And Assess The Real Issues Of A Controversial Practice, Markus A. Petsche

markus a petsche

In this article, I revisit the question posed by Professors Juenger and Maloy in earlier contributions: what is wrong with (international) forum shopping? Despite doctrinal efforts to determine the origins and effects of forum shopping, the desirability of this practice remains a highly controversial topic. In this article, I show that the adverse impact of forum shopping is limited and that existing policies addressing forum shopping (including the doctrine of forum non conveniens) should thus be reevaluated in light of this finding. First, I identify the criteria by which the potentially detrimental impact of forum shopping (or rather forum selection) …

A Critique Of The Doctrine Of Forum Non Conveniens, Markus A. Petsche

markus a petsche

In this article, I formulate a basic critique of the doctrine of forum non conveniens. Unlike other authors, I do not focus on the numerous problems posed by the actual application of this doctrine in practice (e.g. delaying effect on proceedings, incoherent decisions, and discrimination against foreign plaintiffs). Instead, I explore the validity of the theory of forum non conveniens, i.e. the question of whether forum non conveniens – if applied in the best possible manner – can at all be a useful legal rule. My starting point is the observation that, despite the prevalence of contrary views, forum non …

What Should Guide Determinations Of Foreign Official Immunity In Us Courts After Samantar?, Chris C. Morley

Chris C Morley

In the recent Samantar decision, the Supreme Court held that individual foreign officials were not covered by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act but might still be covered by common law immunity. This article analyzes the extent of that common law immunity and discusses whether more recent developments in domestic and international human rights law should impact the availability of immunity for officials accused of torture, extra-judicial killings, and other violations of the law of nations.

Although the bulk of authority from US and foreign courts suggests that foreign officials should enjoy immunity for acts committed within the scope of their …

Cost Shifting In E-Discovery: A Comparative Analysis Between America And Europe, Umar Bakhsh

Umar Bakhsh

E-discovery is quickly becoming a prominent consideration when dealing with traditional discovery requests. The costs of producing e-discovery, however, have grown exponentially due to the voluminous and fragmented nature of electronically stored information. The current standard used by courts, in UBS v. Zubulake, has mistakenly and non-uniformly been applied by courts in spite of Congress’ attempt to create its own standard via FRCP Rule 26. In comparison, Europe’s “loser of litigation pays all court costs” has not adequately met the particular problem created by e-discovery. My article proposes a more manageable alternative standard to Zubulake, FRCP 26, and the European …

The Role Of Women In Mediation And Conflict Resolution: Lessons For Un Security Council Resolution 1325, Roohia S. Klein

Roohia S Klein

The impact of war on women is often disproportionate and distinct from the effect it has on men. Given the second-class status of women in many societies, their skills and contributions are often under-valued and under-utilized. UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (SCR1325) recognizes the importance of increasing the role of women in all aspects of maintaining international peace and security, including encouraging women to take an active role in resolving conflicts (sections 2, 8b and 16 of SCR1325). This last aspect of SCR1325 reflects an increasing recognition of the effect of gender in conflict resolution. This paper draws upon academic …

Fitness Tax Credits: Costs, Benefits, And Viability, Daniel Reach

Daniel Reach

As the number of overweight and obese Americans rises, it becomes increasingly clear that Americans need further incentives to stimulate lasting lifestyle changes. Tax incentives focused on exercise, which have been largely unexplored to this point, are an effective response to the growing obesity problem in the United States that would largely avoid the special-interest opposition that tax policies focused on diet have encountered. In addition, they would also provide a more palatable solution for the taxpayer beneficiaries with a relatively low impact on government revenues. Viable tax incentives to encourage greater fitness include tax credits and sales tax breaks, …

Preventive Force, Going A Step Further, Harry Borowski Esq

harry borowski

The 9/11 attacks and the 2003 Iraq War have led statesmen and scholars to reconsider their positions with regards to self-defense. Rogue states and terrorist organizations armed with sophisticated weapons present challenges that were unforeseen until now. In order to meet these threats some states have resorted to use anticipatory self-defense among which we can find the hotly debated notions of preemption and prevention.

This article raises the question of whether the notion of preventive force is starting to become an accepted means of anticipatory self-defense against threats originating from rogue states or terrorist organizations. This article claims that we …

Goldstone Reconsidered, Richard D. Rosen

Richard D. Rosen

Following the 2008-2009 Israeli-Hamas war, the Human Rights Council dispatched a fact-finding mission headed by South African Jurist Richard Goldstone to investigate the hostilities. In September 2009, the mission issued its findings in a nearly 500-page report containing a variety of complaints against Israel, the most explosive of which was that Israel, as a matter of state policy, intended to kill Palestinian civilians and destroy their property. A year and a half later, Justice Goldstone reconsidered the mission’s conclusion, acknowledging that Israel may not have deliberately targeted Palestinian civilians during the conflict. This paper argues that Justice Goldstone’s reconsideration of …

Icj's Kosovo Decision: Economical Reasoning Of Law And Question Of Legitimacy Of The Court, Upendra Acharya

Upendra Acharya

ABSTRACT The ICJ’s recent advisory opinion on Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia that the Kosovo’s declaration of independence did not violate international law ignores a set of questions that concern contentious international legal issues, including the right to self-determination via remedial secession, the law of statehood, the territorial integrity of states, and the legal effect of recognition by other states. Because these issues were ignored by the ICJ in its legal analysis by its adoption of an economy of judicial reasoning, the advisory opinion marks a state of confusion and complicates similar independence claims by other territories and …

Drone Attacks, International Law, And The Recording Of Civilian Casualties Of Armed Conflict, Susan C. Breau Professor

Susan C Breau Professor

Drone attacks, international law, and the recording of civilian casualties of armed conflict is a discussion of drone attacks within the law of armed conflict with particular reference to the obligation to record civilian casualties. The discussion discusses whether the CIA drone attacks taking place in Pakistan and Yemen can be viewed within the context of an armed conflict model and views the international law obligations associated with civilian casualites of those attacks.

Not All Civilians Are Created Equal: The Principle Of Distinction, The Question Of Direct Participation In Hostilities And Evolving Restraints On The Use Of Force In Warfare, Trevor Keck

Trevor Keck

The inability to easily distinguish combatant from noncombatant during contemporary warfare has generated significant scholarly debate on the notion of “Direct Participation in Hostilities,” or the scope of activities for which a civilian loses immunity in warfare. This essay critiques guidelines developed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on this subject, and examines whether the dynamics of asymmetric conflict merits more restrictive restraints on the use of force than traditionally required by international humanitarian law (IHL).

The essay begins by tracing the origin of the principle of distinction, and examining the challenge of observing this norm in …

Development Lending To Municipalities By The World Bank Group, Asheesh Bhalla

Asheesh Bhalla

The World Bank Group has recently shifted its development lending policies to have a greater focus on lending to municipalities and developing financial institutions and systems of market creation at the local level. The author reviews this policy shift, and the consequences of such policy changes on local government institutions and law.

A Meaningful Definition Of The Crime Of Aggression: A Response To Michael Glennon, Jennifer -. Trahan

Jennifer - Trahan

In his article “The Blank Prose Crime of Aggression,” 35 Yale J. of Int’l L. 71, Michael Glennon argues that the International Criminal Court’s newly adopted definition of the crime of aggression is so vague and overbroad that prosecutions under it would violate the prohibition on retroactive or ex post facto laws. His arguments rest on an incorrect construction of the definition, ignorance of the extensive negotiating history and travaux préparatoires that exist vis-à-vis the crime, and failure to consult the elements of the crime. His argument that the fact that past U.S. military action would be covered by the …