Law Commons^™

The Immunity Of State Officials Under The Un Convention On Jurisdictional Immunities Of States And Their Property, David P. Stewart

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The U.S. Supreme Court decided in Samantar v. Yousuf that claims of immunity by individual foreign officials in U.S. courts will be determined not under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act but instead under the common law, drawing on principles of international law. The 2004 UN Convention on the Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Properties represents the most recent and comprehensive international thinking on the question of jurisdictional immunities of foreign states and their officials in foreign courts. Under the Convention, individual representatives of a state acting in that capacity are entitled to the same immunities as the state itself. …

Forgive Me, Founding Fathers For I Have Sinned, Carolyn A. Pytynia

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution grants the federal government the authority to make the law of the land and, in turn, preempt state law that is incompatible with the federal government's legislative and treaty making efforts. In addition, other provisions of the Constitution authorize the federal government to participate in matters of foreign affairs, and the Supreme Court has found this authority to be exclusive to the federal government in a number of cases. However, the Constitution is silent on the issue of when federal preemption of state law is appropriate when states seek to legislate in matters …

Law Triangle: Arbitrating International Reinsurance Disputes, J. L. Murphy

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

The McCarran-Ferguson Act was enacted to preserve the longstanding prerogative of the States to regulate the insurance industry. States have acted in accordance with this statute to declare arbitration agreements in insurance contracts invalid. However, the Senate has since ratified the New York Convention and appended implementing legislation to the Federal Arbitration Act that obligates domestic courts to recognize arbitration agreements in all international contracts. In an odd convergence of authority, a functional conflict arises between these three bodies of law: the federal law says that state law controls in this area, even over other federal law that might incidentally …

Judicial Restraints On Illegal State Violence: Israel And The United States, John T. Parry

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article examines the role of courts in controlling state violence in the United States and Israel. The Author considers how U.S. federal courts should respond to illegal state violence by comparing a U.S. Supreme Court case, "City of Los Angeles v. Lyons", with a case decided by the Supreme Court of Israel, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel v. Israel. Part II highlights the legal issues that were central to each court in reaching a decision, including standing, the scope of equitable discretion to craft remedies, and baseline attitudes towards illegal government action. Part III examines the doctrines discussed …

Gats' Applicability To Transnational Lawyering And Its Potential Impact On U.S. State Regulation Of Lawyers, Laurel S. Terry

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article examines the impact of the General Agreement on Trade in Services, or GATS, on legal services, and more specifically on the legal ethics rules in the United States. The Article begins by explaining background information about the global nature of legal services. Then, the Author details the structure and operation of the GATS, including its relevant exemptions, and its applicability to legal services. Next, the Article explores developments that have occurred since the signing of the GATS, including the possible significance to U.S. regulation of the legal profession. Subsequently, the Author identifies remaining questions about the effects of …

A New Miranda For Foreign Nationals?, James A. Deeken

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Note will explore the conflict between federalism expressed in the U.S. Constitution and the demands that international treaties, entered into by the federal government, make on local governments. Part I will explain the current state of the issues addressed in the Note, including the Vienna Convention, and the relevant provisions relating to the arrests of foreign nationals. The Note will then examine whether, given that international treaties have been interpreted as providing rights and provisions that are only enforceable by countries, a private party, such as a foreign national, has the power to invoke the provisions in his defense …

The Unconstitutionality Of State And Local Enactments In The United States Restricting Business Ties With Burma (Myanmar), David Schmahmann, James Finch

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

As a punitive measure against the military regime in Burma, state and municipal governments in the United States have adopted laws penalizing firms that conduct business in that nation. This Article analyzes the validity of these statutes and ordinances under various provisions of the U.S. Constitution.

After introducing the nature of this development and the constitutional issues raised, Part II of this Article proceeds to examine the character of the local enactments and the political backdrop which lead to their adoption. In Part II, the Authors analyze four federal constitutional issues surrounding the local legislation: implied preemption by federal legislation, …

Case Digest, Journal Staff

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Act of State Doctrine does not Preclude Inquiry by United States Court into Alleged Repudiation by a Foreign Government of its Obligation Arising from a Purely Commercial Transaction

Admiralty Jurisdiction Extends inland to Automobile Accident Caused by the Negligence of Ship's Crew

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Incorporates the Long-Shoremen's and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act, and includes Provisions Depriving Claims by Outer Continental Shelf Employees Injured on the Job against Vessel Ownerbased upon Breach of Warranty of Seaworthiness

University's Restrictive Definition of Domicile, which Precludes Nonimmigrant Aliens from Attaining "In-State" Status for Tuition Purposes, Does not Violate Due Process

Order …

Recent Decisions, Ronald P. Cima, Douglas Berry, Jon L. Goodman

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Recent Decisions

Act of State Doctrine--Act of State Doctrine precludes Judicial Inquiry into the Motivation underlying the Acts of a Foreign State in a Private Antitrust Suit

Ronald P. Cima

Preemption--State Statute Prohibiting Nonresidents or Aliens from Fishing in its Waters is Preempted by Federal Law

Douglas Berry

Warsaw Convention--Provision for Limiting Liability--Recoveries in Personal Injury Actions against Air Carrier Employees, as Well as Against the Air Carrier itself, are to be Limited by the Warsaw Convention

Jon L. Goodman

The Act Of State Doctrine: Alfred Dunhill Of London, Inc. V. Republic Of Cuba, John S. Williams

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

With its decision in Alfred Dunhill of London, Inc. v. Republic of Cuba, the Supreme Court has, for the third time in twelve years, rendered a significant if not landmark ruling on the act of state doctrine. Before 1964 the Court had not decided a case involving that doctrine for more than twenty years. During that intervening period many questions were raised in the learned writings on the subject, and the controversial decision, Bernstein v. N. V. Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche, etc., was decided by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.

Foreign Banking In The United States, James A. Johnson

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

Foreign banking in the United States is no longer a nominal activity. The assets of foreign bank agencies and branches tripled from 1965 to 1972, increasing to approximately 13 billion dollars. During this same time, assets of United States banks abroad rose to 75 billion dollars-an eight-fold increase.

Yet, despite this dramatic growth--which surely will continue--the United States remains the only major country in which foreign banking is not supervised at the national level. No valid constitutional or practical reasons exist to support state control. Although New York and California, which share the major portion of foreign banking at the …