Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 23 of 23
Full-Text Articles in Law
Courts Of Appeal And Colonialism In The British Caribbean: A Case For The Caribbean Court Of Justice, Ezekiel Rediker
Courts Of Appeal And Colonialism In The British Caribbean: A Case For The Caribbean Court Of Justice, Ezekiel Rediker
Michigan Journal of International Law
In recent years, a public debate on law and the colonial legacy has engaged people of all walks of life in the English Speaking Caribbean (ESC), from judges and politicians to young people in the streets. Throughout the ESC, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC)—based in London and composed of British jurists—has been the highest court of appeal since the colonial era. In the past decade, however, Caribbean governments have sought greater control over their legal systems. In 2005, they created the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to supplant the British Privy Council as the Supreme Court for …
Contractualism In The Law Of Treaties, Omar M. Dajani
Contractualism In The Law Of Treaties, Omar M. Dajani
Michigan Journal of International Law
When Henry Sumner Maine famously observed that "the movement of the progressive societies has hitherto been a movement from Status to Contract," he was invoking contract not as a device for binding parties to their commitments but, rather, as a metaphor for freedom. That metaphor lies at the heart of what legal scholars have come to call contractualism (or, sometimes, contractarianism)-the idea that people should be free to decide with whom, for what, and on which terms they enter agreements and that the law should minimize the constraints it places on these decisions. It is a proposition rooted in the …
A Critical Guide To The Iraqi High Tribunal's Anfal Judgement: Genocide Against The Kurds, Jennifer Trahan
A Critical Guide To The Iraqi High Tribunal's Anfal Judgement: Genocide Against The Kurds, Jennifer Trahan
Michigan Journal of International Law
In the Anfal trial, the Iraqi High Tribunal (IHT or the Tribunal) in Baghdad convicted former Iraqi high officials of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Unlike its predecessor-the Dujail trial-the Anfal trial included the presentation of a high volume of documentary and eye-witness evidence. This evidence clearly revealed the existence of a genocidal campaign by the former Iraqi government and military that eliminated an estimated 182,000 Iraqi Kurds in 1988, as part of the eight-phased "Anfal campaign" (the Anfal). Relying on this and other evidence, judges in the Anfal Trial Chamber explained fairly persuasively how genocide, crimes against …
Custody, Maintenance, And Succession: The Internalization Of Women's And Children's Rights Under Customary Law In Africa, Allison D. Kent
Custody, Maintenance, And Succession: The Internalization Of Women's And Children's Rights Under Customary Law In Africa, Allison D. Kent
Michigan Journal of International Law
In this Note, the author examines the process of international human rights norm internalization into areas traditionally governed exclusively by customary law, and the resulting evolution of customary law. Assuming, arguendo, that customary law is to be modified, I argue that a societal norm internalization approach is the most effective means to bring customary law into conformity with international human rights law. After a brief discussion of the fieldwork on which I rely, this Note describes the historical influence of colonialism on the development of customary law in Africa, with a particular focus on the repugnancy clauses of the …
Traditional Hindu Law In The Guise Of 'Postmodernism:' A Review Article, Donald R. Davis Jr.
Traditional Hindu Law In The Guise Of 'Postmodernism:' A Review Article, Donald R. Davis Jr.
Michigan Journal of International Law
Review of Hindu Law: Beyond Tradition and Modernity by Werner F. Menski
No Black Names On The Letterhead? Efficient Discrimination And The South African Legal Profession, Lisa R. Pruitt
No Black Names On The Letterhead? Efficient Discrimination And The South African Legal Profession, Lisa R. Pruitt
Michigan Journal of International Law
Although there have long been black lawyers in South Africa, during apartheid only a handful joined the ranks of the country's large commercial firms. Now, in the post-apartheid period, these firms are keenly aware of a range of economic and political incentives to hire black attorneys, and most are doing so at a record pace. Very few black attorneys, however, are enduring the path to partnership in these firms. Based on more than seventy-five interviews conducted in South Africa in 1999 and 2000, this Article both documents and critically examines the reasons for black attrition. While firms' incentives to integrate …
Convergence And Competition: The Case Of Bank Regulation In Britain And The United States, Heidi Mandanis Schooner, Michael Taylor
Convergence And Competition: The Case Of Bank Regulation In Britain And The United States, Heidi Mandanis Schooner, Michael Taylor
Michigan Journal of International Law
This Article consists of four main parts. Part I introduces the convergence by competition model as it applies to the regulation of financial institutions and sets the stage for the test case application of the model to the regulatory systems in the United States and United Kingdom. Part II provides a comparative history of bank regulation in Britain and the United States. Central to our argument is the proposition that, even in the presence of globalized financial markets and the opportunities for rule competition brought in their wake, the bank regulatory systems of the United States and Britain continue to …
The Limited Public Offer In German And U.S. Securities Law: A Comparative Analysis Of Prospectus Act Section 2(2) And Rule 505 Of Regulation D, David B. Guenther
The Limited Public Offer In German And U.S. Securities Law: A Comparative Analysis Of Prospectus Act Section 2(2) And Rule 505 Of Regulation D, David B. Guenther
Michigan Journal of International Law
This Note examines the "limited circle of persons" exception in section 2(2) of the Prospectus Act in comparison to similar provisions of U.S. federal securities law, particularly Section 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and Rule 505 of Regulation D ("Rule 505"). Comparison of the Prospectus Act to U.S. securities law seems both warranted and useful. Certain aspects of German securities law are broadly modeled on U.S. precedents. U.S. securities laws reflect more than sixty-five years of experience defining (and re-defining) public and limited public offers and private placements. U.S. securities regulators have also displayed in …
Law And Religion In Israel And Iran: How The Integration Of Secular And Spiritual Laws Affects Human Rights And The Potential For Violence, S. I. Strong
Michigan Journal of International Law
Part I of this article provides a brief sketch of the principles of the two majority religions at issue in this discussion and an overview of the history of both Israel and Iran. It explains why each nation has chosen to structure itself as it has and why the imposition of U.S.-style secularism would be an inappropriate method of dealing with the religio-legal conflict in the two societies. Part II compares the fundamental or constitutional laws of the two nations by analyzing the provisions, policies, and practices most influenced by religion. After identifying and analyzing the laws themselves in Part …
Language Of Lullabies: The Russification And De-Russification Of The Baltic States, Sonia Bychkov Green
Language Of Lullabies: The Russification And De-Russification Of The Baltic States, Sonia Bychkov Green
Michigan Journal of International Law
This article argues that the laws for promotion of the national languages are a legitimate means for the Baltic states to establish their cultural independence from Russia and the former Soviet Union.
Resolving Economic Disputes In Russia's Market Economy, Karen Halverson
Resolving Economic Disputes In Russia's Market Economy, Karen Halverson
Michigan Journal of International Law
The purpose of this paper is to examine the recent transformation of state arbitrazh into economic courts along with the development of commercial arbitration in Russia, and to consider the relative utility of these mechanisms for resolving disputes in Russia's evolving market economy. Part I describes state arbitrazh and details its evolution into the existing system of economic courts. Part II discusses the past and recent development of commercial arbitration in Russia as an alternative to litigating domestic disputes. Part III considers various social and historic factors that hinder genuine reform.
Securitization Of State Ownership: Chinese Securities Law, Minkang Gu, Robert C. Art
Securitization Of State Ownership: Chinese Securities Law, Minkang Gu, Robert C. Art
Michigan Journal of International Law
Part I of this article establishes the scope of analysis and defines the Chinese use of the term "security," which is more limited than under American law. Parts II and III briefly examine the history of Chinese securities laws and the understanding of securities by the Chinese people. Part IV focuses on the government's motivations in establishing the securities markets. Part V discusses the distinctively Chinese approach of classifying shares according to the characteristics and nationality of permitted shareholders. Part VI addresses the future development of Chinese securities markets. The conclusion reflects on the significance of western forms of securities …
As-Salāmu `Alaykum? Humanitarian Law In Islamic Jurisprudence, Karima Bennoune
As-Salāmu `Alaykum? Humanitarian Law In Islamic Jurisprudence, Karima Bennoune
Michigan Journal of International Law
This Note examines Islamic legal doctrine in the field of humanitarian law and considers the historical contributions made by Islamic law to contemporary international humanitarian law. The goal of this Note is neither to unfairly attack nor to apologize for Islamic law, but rather to attempt an honest appraisal of Islamic humanitarian precepts, with an awareness of the way in which Islam has often been stereotyped as hostile and bloodthirsty in Western discourse. The intent is two-fold: First, to establish that scholars of modern international humanitarian law have often ignored its historical roots in Islamic law and second, to examine …
Extremist Threats To Fragile Democracies: A Proposal For An East European Marshall Plan, Victor Williams
Extremist Threats To Fragile Democracies: A Proposal For An East European Marshall Plan, Victor Williams
Michigan Journal of International Law
Review of Black Hundred: The Rise of the Extreme Right in Russia by Walter Laquer, and Free to Hate: The Rise of the Extreme Right in Russia by Paul Hockenos
The Feasibility Of Debt-Equity Swaps In Russia, Thomas M. Reiter
The Feasibility Of Debt-Equity Swaps In Russia, Thomas M. Reiter
Michigan Journal of International Law
This Note examines the origins, development, and mechanics of debt-equity swap programs in Latin America before discussing the various goals and policy considerations involved in formulating debt-equity swap programs. Next, the Note describes Russia's debt situation and sketches the outlines of a debt-equity swap program that will reduce Russia's foreign debt while stimulating foreign direct investment.
Presidential Systems In Stress: Emergency Powers In Argentina And The United States, William C. Banks, Alejandro D. Carrió
Presidential Systems In Stress: Emergency Powers In Argentina And The United States, William C. Banks, Alejandro D. Carrió
Michigan Journal of International Law
This article offers three comparative insights. First, it concludes that comparative inquiries into presidential systems may be useful for those interested in constitutional government, regardless of historical, cultural, or other contextual differences among nations. Thus, nations with presidentialist constitutional systems may have common problems because of the institutional presidency. The article maintains that our presidential systems are in such states of disrepair that a fundamental reinvigoration of the legislative and judicial branches is required, so that government may better serve important constitutional values in our nations.
Withdrawal And Expulsion In Germany: A Comparative Perspective On The "Close Corporation Problem", Hugh T. Scogin Jr.
Withdrawal And Expulsion In Germany: A Comparative Perspective On The "Close Corporation Problem", Hugh T. Scogin Jr.
Michigan Journal of International Law
This article will examine the German legal system's experience with fashioning remedies for the "close corporation problem" and the underlying concepts that have shaped these remedies. Part I will trace the growth of the doctrines of withdrawal and expulsion in the context of Germany's troubled history. Part II will compare German and U.S. approaches on both practical and conceptual levels. On one level, the focus of the article is narrow. It deals with specific, technical solutions to only the most extreme examples of the close corporation problem. Such cases are not frequently litigated. Their doctrines do, however, constitute default rules …
Cause For Cautious Celebration: Hungarian Post-Communist Environmental Reform, Karen S. Libertiny
Cause For Cautious Celebration: Hungarian Post-Communist Environmental Reform, Karen S. Libertiny
Michigan Journal of International Law
In October 1989, the Hungarian Communist regime collapsed and was replaced by a democratic government. This new government was confronted with a visible and grave concern: environmental degradation. In just three years, the new Hungarian government, sometimes of its own impetus, sometimes at the prodding of environmentalists and foreign governments, has taken tremendous steps toward establishing palpable environmental legislation. More importantly, it has created an administrative and information-gathering infrastructure capable of sustaining a cohesive system of environmental protection initiatives. Although the path to further progress is littered with obstacles, this East European country has proven itself a worthy warrior in …
Perestroika African Style: One-Party Government And Human Rights In Tanzania, John Quigley
Perestroika African Style: One-Party Government And Human Rights In Tanzania, John Quigley
Michigan Journal of International Law
The one-party systems in Africa have drawn negative reactions from Western States that provide economic aid. The article assesses the one-party system in light of international human rights law and asks whether aid-giving States must consider whether one-party rule in recipient States violates international standards. In this connection, the article asks whether the rights of association and political freedom as developed in Europe can fairly be applied to Africa, given its historical experience.
Note, The Death Penalty In Late Imperial, Modern, And Post-Tiananmen China, Alan W. Lepp
Note, The Death Penalty In Late Imperial, Modern, And Post-Tiananmen China, Alan W. Lepp
Michigan Journal of International Law
This paper seeks to explore the crucial determinants that shape the Chinese legal system's use of the death penalty. Why have the Chinese relied so heavily on execution as a form of sentencing? What factors and conditions account for the major changes in the frequency of China's use of the death penalty? What indigenous traditions are reflected in China's implementation of the death penalty? In order to inquire into the role and function of the legal system in affecting the severity of criminal punishment in China, this study will focus on only those death sentences carried out by the state …
Comparison Of Japanese And American Bankruptcy Law, Brooke Schumm Iii
Comparison Of Japanese And American Bankruptcy Law, Brooke Schumm Iii
Michigan Journal of International Law
The outline and direction of this article are arranged approximately in the order of provisions under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The article focuses on Japanese reorganization proceedings, but necessarily discusses Japanese bankruptcy provisions at length. First, eligibility and types of proceedings are discussed. Second, commencement details and administrative provisions, including the "automatic stay" and assumption and rejection of leases and contracts are presented. Third, the debtor's duties and the handling of claims are reviewed. Fourth, liquidations are compared. Fifth, confirmation and reorganization are explored in detail. Last, a comparison of bankruptcy provisions for individuals concludes the article.
Refugees, Law, And Development In Africa, Peter Nobel
Refugees, Law, And Development In Africa, Peter Nobel
Michigan Journal of International Law
This article concerns those large movements of people in Africa, which have been called the "African refugee problem." However, large and intriguing migrations of populations have occurred in Africa for centuries. The earliest migrations reflected the spread of culture, the growth of trade and the development of roving early kingdoms. The unique history behind the refugee dilemma, however, begins with the instability spawned by slave trading and colonialism. Sensitivity to these eras heightens an understanding of why today's Africa is wrought with economic crises, territorial disputes, unnatural frontiers, misfit ethnic combinations, and more refugees than any other continent. Against this …
Canadian Merger Policy And Its International Implications, Eric K. Gressman
Canadian Merger Policy And Its International Implications, Eric K. Gressman
Michigan Journal of International Law
The implications of Canadian merger policy are of deep concern to U.S. and other foreign investors who have invested or are considering investing in Canada. U.S. interests own 60 percent of Canada's manufacturing industry. In 1978, approximately 250 mergers in Canada involved a foreign-owned or foreign-controlled buyer (usually U.S.). Therefore, it is not surprising that Canada's merger policy is no less important to the decisions of foreign investors in Canada than the Justice Department's policies are to domestic investors in the United States. At the same time, the Canadian government and public are concerned with their merger policy as a …