Law Commons^™

The Confederate Law Of Prize, John Paul Jones

Law Faculty Publications

This essay describes the prize law of the Confederate States of America. Due to the Union’s blockade of the South’s coastline, Confederate judges heard very few prize cases. But when they did, they closely hewed to the prize law of the United States.

A Virtual Reality: Preserving The Right To Appear "In Person" Before An Administrative Separation Board, Jeffrey Janaro, Christopher Clifton

Richmond Public Interest Law Review

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, courts and government agencies utilized

video teleconference (“VTC”) technology to conduct trials and hearings in

limited settings. However, as the pandemic progressed, a number of these

adjudicative bodies began to rely more heavily on VTC, and at least one military

service sanctioned the use of VTC to conduct administrative separation

proceedings. The administrative separation process is routinely used as an

employment action to separate military members from an armed service. Due

to its speed and efficiency, military commanders often elect to use the administrative

separation process over the more rigorous court-martial procedure

to effect good …

The Veil (Or Helmet) Of Ignorance: A Rawlsian Thought Experiment About A Military’S Criminal Law, Dan Maurer

University of Richmond Law Review

This Article loosely adapts political philosopher John Rawls’s famous social contract thought experiment to interrogate a corner of law that receives too little theoretical attention: the separate federal code at the intersection of criminal law and national security that regulates both martial and non-martial conduct of millions of citizens, invests judicial responsibility and prosecutorial authority in nonlawyer commanding officers, operates with no territorial limitations, and pulls even certain retirees within its jurisdiction: the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Employing the perspectives of four “idealized” actors—Congress, a president, a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a potential recruit—this “experiment” …

Reconsidering Selective Conscientious Objection, Andrew J. Haile

University of Richmond Law Review

In 1971, in the midst of the Vietnam War, the United States Supreme Court decided that to qualify as a conscientious objector (“CO”) one must oppose all war, and not just a particular war. The Court’s decision in Gillette v. United States turned on its interpretation of section 6(j) of the Military Selective Service Act. Section 6(j) provided, in relevant part, that no person shall “be subject to combatant training and service in the armed forces of the United States who, by reason of religious training and belief, is conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form.” According to …

Autonomous Weapon Systems And The Limits Of Analogy, Rebecca Crootof

Law Faculty Publications

Autonomous weapon systems are often described either as more independent versions of weapons already in use or as humanoid robotic soldiers. In many ways, these analogies are useful. Analogies and allusions to popular culture make new technologies seem accessible, identify potential dangers, and buttress desired narratives. Most importantly from a legal perspective, analogical reasoning helps stretch existing law to cover developing technologies and minimize law-free zones.

But all potential analogies—weapon, combatant, child soldier, animal combatant—fail to address the legal issues raised by autonomous weapon systems, largely because they all misrepresent legally salient traits. Conceiving of autonomous weapon systems as weapons …

For The Sake Of Consistency: Distinguishing Combatant Terrorists From Non-Combatant Terrorists In Modern Warfare, Alexander Fraser

Law Student Publications

This article aims to offer a solution for prosecuting terrorists consistently and efficiently in the ever-expanding world of modern warfare. It argues that our country's approach to prosecuting terrorists has been wildly inconsistent, and that clarity and consistency are required moving forward. The executive branch, which directs the path the Department of Justice and military take in these arenas, has been the main instigator of the inconsistency. The decision whether to prosecute foreign, non-citizen terrorists in an Article III federal court or military tribunal/commission has become politicized, allowing political winds to dictate policy, albeit an inconsistent, unprincipled one. The Bush …

For The Sake Of Consistency: Distinguishing Combatant Terrorists From Non-Combatant Terrorists In Modern Warfare, Alexander Fraser

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

War Torts: Accountability For Autonomous Weapons, Rebecca Crootof

Law Faculty Publications

Unlike conventional weapons or remotely operated drones, autonomous weapon systems can independently select and engage targets. As a result, they may take actions that look like war crimes—the sinking of a cruise ship, the destruction of a village, the downing of a passenger jet—without any individual acting intentionally or recklessly. Absent such willful action, no one can be held criminally liable under existing international law.

Criminal law aims to prohibit certain actions, and individual criminal liability allows for the evaluation of whether someone is guilty of a moral wrong. Given that a successful ban on autonomous weapon systems is unlikely …

During War, The Law Is Silent, Or Is It: Examining The Legal Status Of Guantanomo Bay, Kate Frisch

Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business

Instead, I argue that international human rights law precludes the existence of any "legal black hole." Human rights law protects the rights and liberties of individuals purely based on their status as human beings, regardless of their location. Therefore, an individual's rights cannot be suspended. As a result, it must be the responsibility of the entity that holds custody and control over the individual to protect those rights. In order to enforce the protection of human rights, international responsibilities stemming from treaties that have solidified the individual nature of the rights must be used as an instrument for enforcement to …

A Meaningful Floor For "Meaningful Human Control", Rebecca Crootof

Law Faculty Publications

To the extent there is any consensus among States, ban advocates, and ban skeptics regarding the regulation of autonomous weapon systems (AWS), it is grounded in the idea that all weaponry should be subject to "meaningful human control." This "intuitively appealing" principle is immensely popular, and numerous States have explicitly declared their support for it or questioned the lawfulness of weapons that operate without such control. Lack of opposition has led some to conclude that it is either a newly developed customary norm or a preexisting, recently exposed rule of customary international law, already binding on all States.

But this …

The Killer Robots Are Here: Legal And Policy Implications, Rebecca Crootof

Law Faculty Publications

In little over a year, the possibility of a complete ban on autonomous weapon systems—known colloquially as “killer robots”—has evolved from a proposal in an NGO report to the subject of an international meeting with representatives from over eighty states. However, no one has yet put forward a coherent definition of autonomy in weapon systems from a law of armed conflict perspective, which often results in the conflation of legal, ethical, policy, and political arguments. This Article therefore proposes that an “autonomous weapon system” be defined as “a weapon system that, based on conclusions derived from gathered information and preprogrammed …

War, Responsibility, And Killer Robots, Rebecca Crootof

Law Faculty Publications

In War and Responsibility, John Hart Ely argues that Congress has willingly and cravenly surrendered its rightful role as the branch responsible for determining when and the extent to which the United States engages in armed conflicts. Since the publication of this seminal work on the war power, presidents have continued to commit troops to hostilities absent or outside of explicit congressional authorizations-and the legislature and the judiciary rarely challenge such actions.

Meanwhile, the United States is investing heavily in unmanned military weapon systems, and the U.S. Department of Defense has described increasing weapons' autonomous capabilities as a "high priority." …

Veteran's Law Symposium: Keynote Address Delivered November 8, 2013, Tim Kaine

Richmond Journal of Law and the Public Interest

d it is good to be back here Friday to talk to this Veterans Law Symposium. The initial symposium on veterans law here at the law school and what an appropriate thing to do on an appropriate weekend as we get ready to celebrate Veteran's Day and I was honored to be asked to come and offer some thoughts. I want to talk about, just sort of current issues we are really grappling with, that are legal issues, in Congress, that might affect the practice that you would hope to do, that certainly affect the lives of our veterans and …

Veterans Treatment Court: A Hand Up Rather Than Lock Up, Tabatha Renz

Richmond Journal of Law and the Public Interest

There has been a gradual national shift toward rehabilitation within the justice system. This has been especially important for veterans who make up only 8% of the total population, but account for 10% of those with criminal records. Recognizing that the traditional justice system is not equipped to handle cases of individuals whose underlying cause of offense is combat trauma, there has been a call to expand the Veterans Treatment Court ("VTC") program as an alternative for offenders who are veterans of the armed forces. This issue has been compounded by over a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, …

Serving Those Who Served, Edward G. Simpson, Iii, Gregory L. Collins

Law Student Publications

Forward from Richmond Journal of Law and the Public Interest, Vol. XVII, regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Despite the VA's massive budget and our country's growing veteran population, many veterans' issues are not being adequately addressed, and the legal needs of our veterans require our increased attention.

Veteran's Law Symposium: Keynote Address Delivered November 8, 2013, Tim Kaine

Richmond Public Interest Law Review

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine delivered this keynote address at the 2013 Journal of Law and the Public Interest Symposium. In this transcript of his speech, Senator Kaine discusses the importance of improving service for veterans disability claims, how the changing nature of society affects military and veterans issues, fundamental questions about 21st century warfare, and concludes by answering questions form the audience.

Veterans Treatment Court: A Hand Up Rather Than Lock Up, Tabatha Renz

Richmond Public Interest Law Review

There has been a gradual national shift toward rehabilitation within the justice system. This has been especially important for veterans who make up only 8% of the total population, but account for 10% of those with criminal records. Recognizing that the traditional justice system is not equipped to handle cases of individuals whose underlying cause of offense is combat trauma, there has been a call to expand the Veterans Treatment Court ("VTC") program as an alternative for offenders who are veterans of the armed forces. This issue has been compounded by over a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, …

In Sight, It Must Be Right: Judicial Review Of Va Decision For Reasons And Bases Vs. Clear Error, David E. Boelzner

Richmond Public Interest Law Review

"In sight, it must be right" was the advertising slogan of a chain of hamburger restaurants that featured visible grills so customers could see the food being prepared, the assumption being that under customers' watchful eyes the burgers would be grilled properly. The Board of Veterans' Appeals ("Board") provides the final decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA") on a veteran claimant's entitlement to benefits, based on de novo review of a previous VA regional office determination. When in 1988 Congress provided in the Veterans Judicial Review Act for court review of agency decisions on veterans' claims for benefits, …

In Sight, It Must Be Right: Judicial Review Of Va Decision For Reasons And Bases Vs. Clear Error, David E. Boelzner

Richmond Journal of Law and the Public Interest

"In sight, it must be right" was the advertising slogan of a chain of hamburger restaurants that featured visible grills so customers could see the food being prepared, the assumption being that under customers' watchful eyes the burgers would be grilled properly. The Board of Veterans' Appeals ("Board") provides the final decision of the Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA") on a veteran claimant's entitlement to benefits, based on de novo review of a previous VA regional office determination. When in 1988 Congress provided in the Veterans Judicial Review Act for court review of agency decisions on veterans' claims for benefits, …

Lessons From Improvements In Military And Overseas Voting, Steven F. Huefner

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

2010-2011 Veterans Law Update, Kathleen Dwyer, Alec Kast, Scott A. Sigmon, Andrew E. Tarne

Law Student Publications

Part I will cover updates related directly to veterans' benefits and rights. Part II will focus on updates to rules involving veterans' caregivers and healthcare facilities. Part III will cover proposed rules dealing with veterans' claims and insurance. Part IV will focus on rules and case law covering the VA's procedures and operating regulations.

Which Law Governs During Armed Conflict? The Relationship Between International Humanitarian Law And Human Rights Law, Rebecca Crootof, Oona A. Hathaway, Philip Levitz, Haley Nix, William Perdue, Chelsea Purvis, Julia Spiegel

Law Faculty Publications

On May 31, 2010, in the early hours of the morning, Israeli Defense Forces boarded and occupied a flotilla of six vessels seventy-two nautical miles from the coast of Gaza. The flotilla carried food and other supplies to Gaza, which was under a naval blockade. During the incident, nine passengers were killed and several others wounded. In the aftermath, a key question that emerged was what body of law applied to the incident? Was it subject to human rights law, international humanitarian law, or some mix of the two?

This same question has been at the heart of ongoing debates …

2010-2011 Veterans Law Update, Tara L. Casey

Law Faculty Publications

2011 saw multiple changes to the laws relating to veterans, their rights and benefits, and the Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA"). This Article will cover select updates to the field of veterans law codified in the Code of Federal Regulations and the United States Code, proposed in the Federal Register, and adjudicated in the courts. Part I will cover updates related directly to veterans' benefits and rights. Part II will focus on updates to rules involving veterans' caregivers and healthcare facilities. Part III will cover proposed rules dealing with veterans' claims and insurance. Part IV will focus on rules and …

The Tokyo Trial At Richmond: Digitizing The Sutton Collection Of Documents From The International Military Tribunal For The Far East, Suzanne Corriell

Law Faculty Publications

As an ongoing project, the effort to digitize and present the Sutton Collection is far from complete. Our effort has the potential to become a leading resource for materials relating to the Tokyo trial and, with the help of our faculty partners, to demonstrate relevancy of the trial to current issues in international criminal law and to the development of Japan’s role in modern East Asia. As the project team learns more about the collection, consults with similar projects, and continues to implement innovative applications, processes are constantly updated. The coming year should bring further progress, and we look forward …

Energy Independence And Climate Change: The Economic And National Security Consequences Of Failing To Act, Mark E. Rosen

University of Richmond Law Review

This article draws heavily from the works of the CNA MAB, namely the twin and interrelated challenges arising from imprudent reliance on fossil fuels by developed and developing countries, as well as the serious environmental and national security"externalities" that directly result from current consumptive trends.

Cleaning Up The Mess: The Economic, Environmental, And Cultural Impact Of U.S. Military Base Closures On Surrounding, Elizabeth M. Myers

Law Student Publications

Military base closings, and the numerous laws and regulations that apply to them, have a great impact on neighboring communities. This comment addresses the economic, environmental, and cultural effects of military base closures, both domestic and overseas, and offers some ideas for the future. Section I tells the stories of two former military bases, one in America and one overseas, and an American military base currently in the process of closing. Section II details the economic effects of military base closure under BRAC, while looking at the process itself in more detail. Section III examines the environmental effects, arising from …

Cleaning Up The Mess: The Economic, Environmental, And Cultural Impact Of U.S. Military Base Closures On Surrounding Communities, Elizabeth M. Myers

Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business

Today, many military bases have become financial burdens on the federal government, as the military’s needs and systems have changed drastically since the end of the Cold War. The federal government has discovered it can save a significant amount of money by shutting down unnecessary installations and shifting the work to ongoing bases. The federal government can also make money by selling the land of former military bases to surrounding communities or private companies.

The Detention Of Suspected Terrorists In Northern Ireland And Great Britain, Brice Dickson

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Long War, The Federal Courts, And The Necessity/Legality Paradox, Stephen I. Vladeck

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Future Of Detainees In The Global War On Terror: A U.S. Policy Perspective, Saxby Chamblis

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.