Conflict of Laws Commons^™

The Path Of International Law, Anthony D'Amato

Faculty Working Papers

Is there a need for yet another student-edited international law journal? Practicing attorneys retrieve relevant articles when working on cases with international law issues, although they may be oblivious to the name of the journal or the prestige of the law school that supports it. For student editors, serving on a new international law journal is not just an intellectual experience; it is an empowering one. The more one looks into custom and treaty and the other sources of international law, the more one finds complexity and intellectual challenge.

Strategic Globalization: International Law As An Extension Of Domestic Political Conflict, Jide Nzelibe

Faculty Working Papers

Traditional accounts in both the international law and international relations literature largely assume that great powers like the United States enter into international legal commitments in order to resolve global cooperative problems or to advance objective state interests. Contrary to these accounts, this Article suggests that an incumbent regime (or partisan elites within the regime) may often seek to use international legal commitments to overcome domestic obstacles to their narrow policy and electoral objectives. In this picture, an incumbent regime may deploy international law to expand the geographical scope of political conflict across borders in order to isolate the domestic …

Consent, Estoppel, And Reasonableness: Three Challenges To Universal International Law, Anthony D'Amato

Faculty Working Papers

Like consent and estoppel, the concept of reasonableness, while failing to provide an adequate explanation of the source of obligation in customary international law, does play an important psychological role in adding to the pressure of international norms upon states. The result is to increase the sense of legality of the rules that are accepted by states as part of "customary international law." This is not to say that each and every alleged rule of universal international law must contain one or more of the elements of consent, estoppel, or reasonableness in order for it to be "valid."

The Concept Of Special Custom In International Law, Anthony D'Amato

Faculty Working Papers

General customary international law contains rules, norms, and principles that seem applicable to any state and not to a particular state or an exclusive grouping of states. For example, norms relating to the high seas, to airspace and outer space, to diplomatic immunities, to the rules of warfare, and so forth, apply equally to all states having occasion to be concerned with these areas. Similarly, the facts of a given case may suggest exclusively the application of general custom—such as cases concerning collision on the high seas between ships of different countries, cases involving general principles of international law, cases …

Tort Law Is State Law: Why Courts Should Distinguish State And Federal Law In Negligence-Per-Se Law, Barbara Kritchevsky

American University Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Erisa, State And Local Health Care Experimentation, And The Passage Of National Health Care Reform, Christopher J. Frankenfield

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

The Procedural Foundation Of Substantive Law, Thomas O. Main

Scholarly Works

The substance-procedure dichotomy is a popular target of scholarly criticism because procedural law is inherently substantive. This article argues that substantive law is also inherently procedural. I suggest that the construction of substantive law entails assumptions about the procedures that will apply when that substantive law is ultimately enforced. Those procedures are embedded in the substantive law and, if not applied, will lead to over- or under-enforcement of the substantive mandate. Yet the substance-procedure dichotomy encourages us to treat procedural systems as essentially fungible-leading to a problem of mismatches between substantive law and unanticipated procedures. I locate this argument about …

The Irrepressible Influence Of Byrd, Richard D. Freer, Thomas Arthur

Faculty Articles

We set forth four interrelated theses in this article. First, Byrd is the only Supreme Court case since Erie itself to discuss all three of the core interests balanced, expressly or not, in every vertical choice of law case. Second, because Hanna's "twin aims" test ignores two of these three core interests, it cannot adequately serve as the standard for cases under the Rules of Decision Act ("RDA"). This fact is evidenced by the Court's eschewing the twin aims test in cases, like Gasperini, where state and federal interests must be accommodated. Third, as all three opinions in …

"Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses," But Not Your Homosexual Partners: International Solutions To America's Same-Sex Immigration Dilemma, Matthew J. Hrutkay

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The note argues that U.S. immigration law, despite its emphasis on family unification, excludes same-sex couples due to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), creating a conflict between policy goals and legal realities. It proposes that international models, such as those from Australia and Canada, offer viable solutions to reconcile this dilemma while addressing conservative concerns about federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Personal Jurisdiction Over Non-Resident Class Members: Have We Gone Down The Wrong Road?, Tanya Monestier

Law Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Third Time Is Not Always A Charm: The Troublesome Legacy Of A Dutch Art Dealer-The Limitation And Act Of State Defenses In Looted Art Cases, Bert Demarsin

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Symposium Transcript, Erwin Chemerinsky, Mary Ellen O'Connell, Jeremy Rabkin

Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business

No abstract provided.

International Law In Domestic Courts: A Conflict Of Laws Approach, Ralf Michaels, Karen Knop, Annelise Riles

Faculty Scholarship

The relationship between international law and domestic law is rarely understood as a conflict of laws. Understanding it in this way opens up a parallel with the field of conflict of laws: the field for which the relationship between legal systems, especially the role of another system's jurisdiction, laws, and judgments vis-à-vis the domestic legal system, are exactly the bread-and-butter issues. We argue for such an approach to international law in domestic courts: an approach that we elaborate as "theory through technique." In our view, conflicts should be seen broadly as the discipline that developed to deal with conflicts between …

On The Limits Of Supremacy: Medical Marijuana And The States' Overlooked Power To Legalize Federal Crime, Robert A. Mikos

Vanderbilt Law Review

Using the conflict over medical marijuana as a timely case study, this Article explores the overlooked and underappreciated power of states to legalize conduct Congress bans. Though Congress has banned marijuana outright, and though that ban has survived constitutional scrutiny, state laws legalizing medical use of marijuana not only survive careful preemption analysis, they constitute the de facto governing law in thirteen states. This Article argues that these state laws and most related regulations have not been and, more interestingly, cannot be preempted by Congress, given constraints imposed on Congress's preemption power by the anti-commandeering rule, properly understood. The Article …

What Can Be Done Against Cyber Hate? Freedom Of Speech Versus Hate Speech In The Council Of Europe, Isabelle Rorive

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The article examines the tension between freedom of speech and the regulation of hate speech on the internet, focusing on the challenges posed by conflicting international laws and jurisdictional issues. It highlights the Council of Europe's efforts to address cyber hate through legal frameworks like the Cybercrime Convention and the Additional Protocol, while discussing the limitations of these measures. The co-regulatory model, combining government oversight with private sector accountability, is presented as a potential solution, though concerns about censorship and free speech remain.

A Choice Of Law Dilemma: The Conflict And Reconciliation Of Laws Governing Cross-Border Transfers Of Stolen Art, Monique Lee

Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal

The note explores the complexities of cross-border transfers of stolen art, focusing on the legal dilemmas posed by differing international property laws. It examines how courts decide which jurisdiction's laws to apply, particularly contrasting the traditional lex situs rule with the Second Restatement's "most significant relationship" test. The analysis highlights New York's unique "combined modern" approach, which balances these methods to align with its policy goals, especially its role as a global art market hub. The note concludes that while this approach offers flexibility, it may lead to forum shopping and inconsistencies, complicating recovery efforts for claimants.

Beyond Borders: Disassembling The State-Based Model Of Federal Forum Fairness, Jamelle C. Sharpe

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Erisa Does Not Give Employers A Free Pass: Refusing To Place The Burden Of Careless Drafting On The Employee, Charles R. Peterson

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Measuring State Compliance With The Right To Education Using Indicators: A Case Study Of Colombia’S Obligations Under The Icescr, Sital Kalantry, Jocelyn Getgen, Steven A. Koh

Cornell Law Faculty Working Papers

The right to education is often referred to as a “multiplier right” because its enjoyment enhances other human rights. It is enumerated in several international instruments, but it is codified in greatest detail in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Despite its importance, the right to education has received limited attention from scholars, practitioners, and international and regional human rights bodies as compared to other economic, social and cultural rights (ECSRs). In this Article, we propose a methodology that utilizes indicators to measure treaty compliance with the right to education. Indicators are essential to measuring compliance …

The Flight To New York: An Empirical Study Of Choice Of Law And Choice Of Forum Clauses In Publicly-Held Companies' Contracts, Theodore Eisenberg, Geoffrey P. Miller

Cardozo Law Review

We study choice of law and choice of forum in a data set of 2,882 contracts contained as exhibits in Form 8-K filings by reporting corporations over as six month period in 2002 for twelve types of contracts and a seven month period in 2002 for merger contracts. These material contracts likely are carefully negotiated by sophisticated parties who are well-informed about the contract terms. They therefore provide evidence of efficient ex ante solutions to contracting problems. In prior work examining merger contracts, acquiring firms incorporated in Delaware tended to select Delaware law or a Delaware forum to govern disputes …

The "Define And Punish" Clause And The Limit Of Universal Jurisdiction, Eugene Kontorovich

Faculty Working Papers

This Article examines whether the "Define and Punish" clause of the Constitution empowers Congress to criminalize foreign conduct unconnected to the United States. Answering this question requires exploring the Constitution's "Piracies and Felonies" provision. While it is hard to believe this can still be said of any constitutional provision, no previous work has examined the scope of the "Piracies and Felonies" powers. Yet the importance of this inquiry is more than academic. Despite its obscurity, the Piracies and Felonies power is the purported Art. I basis for a statute currently in force, which represents Congress's most aggressive use of universal …

Originalism And The Difficulties Of History In Foreign Affairs, Eugene Kontorovich

Faculty Working Papers

This Article spotlights some of the idiosyncratic features of admiralty law at the time of the founding. These features pose challenges for applying the original understanding of the Constitution to contemporary questions of foreign relations. Federal admiralty courts were unusual creatures by Article III standards. They sat as international tribunals applying international and foreign law, freely hearing cases that implicated sensitive questions of foreign policy, and liberally exercising universal jurisdiction over disputes solely between foreigners. However, these powers did not arise out of the basic features of Article III, but rather from a felt need to opt into the preexisting …

International Law In Domestic Courts: A Conflict Of Laws Approach, Karen Knop, Ralf Michaels, Annelise Riles

Cornell Law Faculty Working Papers

The relationship between international law and domestic law is rarely understood as a conflict of laws. Understanding it in this way opens up a parallel with the field of conflict of laws: the field for which the relationship between legal systems, especially the role of another system's jurisdiction, laws, and judgments vis-à-vis the domestic legal system, are exactly the bread-and-butter issues. We argue for such an approach to international law in domestic courts: an approach that we elaborate as "theory through technique."

In our view, conflicts should be seen broadly as the discipline that developed to deal with conflicts between …

Interstate Intercourse: How Modern Assisted Reproductive Technologies Challenge The Traditional Realm Of Conflicts Of Law, 24 Wis. J. L. Gender, & Soc'y 25 (2009), Sonia Bychkov Green

UIC Law Open Access Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Universal Jurisdiction As An International "False Conflict" Of Laws, Anthony J. Colangelo

Michigan Journal of International Law

This Essay proposes a framework for analyzing the concept of universal jurisdiction and evaluating its exercise by States in the international legal system. In brief, the author argues that universal jurisdiction is unique among the bases of prescriptive jurisdiction in international law, and that its unique character gives rise to unique-and underappreciated- limiting principles. The main analytical device the author uses to make this argument is the notion of a "false conflict," which is borrowed from the private law field of conflict of laws, also known outside the United States as private international law. The author does not suggest that …

Aggregation And Choice Of Law, Edward H. Cooper

Articles

This is more a conversational gambit than an article. I address a question at the intersection of procedure and choice of law, speaking as a proceduralist rather than a choice-of-law scholar. The question - which may be two questions - addresses the potential interdependence of procedural aggregation devices and choice of law. One part of the question is whether aggregation can justifiably change the choice of law made for some part of an aggregated proceeding. The other part is whether choice-of-law principles can be adapted to facilitate procedurally desirable aggregation. Answers may be sought either in abstract theory or in …

International Law In Domestic Courts: A Conflict Of Laws Approach, Karen Knop, Ralf Michaels, Annelise Riles

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

The relationship between international law and domestic law is rarely understood as a conflict of laws. Understanding it in this way opens up a parallel with the field of conflict of laws: the field for which the relationship between legal systems, especially the role of another system's jurisdiction, laws, and judgments vis-à-vis the domestic legal system, are exactly the bread-and-butter issues. We argue for such an approach to international law in domestic courts: an approach that we elaborate as "theory through technique."

In our view, conflicts should be seen broadly as the discipline that developed to deal with conflicts between …

Conflict Of Laws In Massachusetts, Part I: Current Choice-Of-Law Theory, Joseph W. Glannon, Gabriel H. Teninbaum

Suffolk University Law School Faculty Works

This article is a survey of conflict of laws principles in Massachusetts. It explains the historical and current Massachusetts approach to conflict of laws issues, and then applies that methodology to a variety of substantive and procedural topic areas. It concludes with recommendations for ways that Massachusetts courts can improve their analysis of these problems to promote fair and consistent outcomes.

Conflict Of Law And Surreptitious Taping Of Telephone Conversations, Carol M. Bast

NYLS Law Review

No abstract provided.

Rob Once, Serve Twice?: Punishment Under Both The Federal Bank Robbery Act And The Hobbs Act Violates The Double Jeopardy Clause, Jamie Zimmerman

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.