International Law Commons^™

Outsmarting Smart Devices: Preparing For Ai Liability Risks And Regulations, Kathryn Bosman Cote

San Diego International Law Journal

As AI technology continues to advance rapidly, establishing a new model for AI regulation will be crucial to protect both companies and consumers. The U.S. must consider consumer safety as well as innovation-conducive policies when assigning liability to AI. By using EU regulatory guidance as a starting point, this paper argues that a multi-tiered liability scheme coupled with a Uniform AI ethical framework and the creation of an independent AI regulatory agency would aid the U.S. in striking the right balance to effectively combat the risks posed by AI and IoT.

Help The People Help The Governments Help The Planet: Using Markets To Meet The Goals Of The Paris Agreement, Rachel Braby

San Diego International Law Journal

The urgency of the climate challenge requires that we address it in every way we can. Yet, current domestic regulations are insufficient to rise to the occasion, and there appears to be no plan geared toward harnessing the power of collective consumer action to supplement government efforts and push industries in the private sector to engage in greener practices. A majority of developed nations have mixed market-driven economies, and in such economies, consumers have immense power to drive change. Paris Agreement nations with mixed market-driven economies should incorporate a strategic plan in their next NDCs that “represent[s] a progression” beyond …

Free Speech Censorship In The Philippines: The Push To Decriminalize Libel, Carter Cordura

San Diego International Law Journal

Philippine criminal libel law is unjustly being used to suppress and censor the media and press; libel should be decriminalized and redefined to uphold the ideals of due process and freedom of expression enumerated in the Philippine Constitution.

This Comment takes a deep dive into Philippine libel law and argues for its decriminalization and redefining from an international perspective.

International Conformity To The Standard Minimum Age Of Criminal Responsibility: Comparing The Minimum Age Of Criminal Responsibility To The Minimum Legal Age Of Marriage, Malea Casillas

San Diego International Law Journal

As this data shows, countries across the globe, irrespective of culture, comply with and uphold the international MLAM. In contrast, they simultaneously fail to agree to the international MACR. The universal conformity with the international MLAM demonstrates that countries understand the negative consequences of marriage at a young age and care to protect children against child marriage. However, the even lower MACRs across the globe indicate that most of our world values prosecution over protection and likely sees offender first and child second.

This Comment will argue that MACR and MLAM should be recognized as similar legal concepts that are …

Fairness At The Forefront: Transgender Athlete Participation In The Olympics, Baylee Swidler

San Diego International Law Journal

This Article will examine how the IOC framework has developed over the years, focusing specifically on where it is now, and how it affects transgender athletes, cisgender athletes (athletes whose biological sex matches their gender identity), and future athletes. Players worldwide are affected differently by the decisions of each International Federation, depending on whether fairness or inclusion is prioritized. Sport at lower levels can be significantly influenced by the independent regulations of each sport federation, even for younger athletes. My proposal, rather than simply stating that reform is necessary after the implementation of the IOC 2021 framework, is instead, to …

Saving Genus Claims For Antibody Patents: What We Can Learn From The Foreign Jurisdictions, Ningxi Sun

San Diego International Law Journal

In the United States, therapeutic antibodies play a key role in the innovations for life-saving therapies. Genus claims—broad claims that cover a group of related species – are widely used in antibody patents, allowing the patentee to obtain broad protection of their inventions. However, a recent line of Federal Circuit decisions has created a higher bar to obtaining patent protection for antibodies. Specifically, it is now nearly impossible to maintain an antibody genus claim. Noteworthy, the United States’ treatment for antibody claims is diverging from other major jurisdictions in the world.

This Article argues the Supreme Court and Congress should …

The Protection Of Legitimate Expectations In International Law, Halil Rahman Basaran

San Diego International Law Journal

The argument of this Article is that international law has still not reached a stage wherein the protection of legitimate expectations can become a general principle of law. In that respect, the most favorable terrain for the protection of legitimate expectations, namely, inter-state negotiations, still largely remains outside international law. In pursuing this argument, this Article first examines the notions of national sovereignty, legal institution and inter-state boundaries. This paper then looks at the notion of general principles of law and highlights the principle of equity. Finally, the Article discusses the Bolivia v. Chile case and places international investment law …

De-Escalating The United States-China Trade War Using A Global Conflict Resolution Methodology Framework, Angelina Kapp

Undergraduate Honors Theses

How can the United States and China collaboratively de-escalate their current trade relationship using a conflict resolution methodology to foster economic growth and foreign investor confidence in the evolving landscape of global trade? This paper will serve as a guide to those wanting to gain a comprehensive understanding of the macroeconomic causes and impacts of the contentious trade war between the U.S. and China. The year 2018 can be attributed to the start of the war when then-President Donald Trump implemented tariffs on Chinese goods and products. These back-and-forth financial and economic measures have been continually imposed to this day …

Poland's Rule Of Law Snowball: The Increasing Severity Of The Rift Between Poland And The European Union, Ronan A. Nelson

San Diego International Law Journal

This Comment will analyze one of the most recent bouts between the EC and Poland in their ongoing struggle over the image of European democracy, rule of law, and national sovereignty: the European Court of Justice’s June 2021 decision in Commission v. Poland. The EU’s conceptions of western democracy and rule of law, including strict adherence to the impartiality of a judicial branch, created the EC’s legal theory for taking a stand against Poland’s autocratic government. However, Poland’s ultimate sovereignty, brought to heightened attention thanks to its far-right leadership, stands in stark opposition to the perceived overreach of the …

24-2, 2023 Masthead

San Diego International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Right To Vote Of Persons With Disabilities And The Difficult Relationship Between The Crpd And The European Court Of Human Rights, Francesco Seatzu, Paolo Vargiu

San Diego International Law Journal

This Article addresses the question of the right to vote of persons with disabilities in light of the recent case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. The approach of the Court is critiqued from a general perspective of non-discrimination as well as tested against Article 29 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which provides for the right to vote as a foundational element of the participation in political and public life of persons with disabilities. This Article maintains that the European Court of Human Rights’ approach, instead of creating the conditions for equality …

Make White-Collar-Offenders Pay (Additional) Tax And Subject Them To Technological Incarceration Instead Of Being A Tax Burden On Society, Mirko Bagaric, Theo Alexander, Brienna Bagaric

San Diego International Law Journal

White-collar offenders do not scare people. There is no reason to be afraid of them. Yet, they are subjected to the most serious sanction in our legal system – prison. Every white-collar prisoner costs society over $30,000 annually. Rather than punishing white-collar offenders in a way that further depletes the public revenue, we should compel them to remedy the damage they have caused by paying additional tax. There are more intelligent, evidence-based approaches to dealing with white-collar offenders. The objectives for dealing with white-collar offenders should be to impose penalties that are proportionate to the seriousness of the crimes; ensure …

Strengthening International Institutions By Enforcing Norms: The Way Forward For Prosecuting Aggression, Dr. Nadia Ahmad

San Diego International Law Journal

Strengthening institutions that enforce the prohibition on the use of force and prevent aggressive acts of war should be a priority in international law, as it struggles to respond collectively to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Aggression is both prohibited in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Rome Statute, and the United Nations Security Council is blocking enforcement action in both international institutions. This Article explores alternative avenues of accountability for the crime of aggression in international law, and recommends the United Nations General Assembly, with the government of Ukraine, establish a hybrid international tribunal for aggression …

Star Trek, Star Wars, Or Battlestar Galactica—The Occurring Privatization Of Space Exploration, And The Need For “Global” Regulations, Marty Levers

San Diego International Law Journal

Privatized space travel is not innately bad because of its commercial nature. Commercialization leads to efficient innovation; and our scientific pursuits benefit from advancements in technology in every space-related industry. This is not to say that privatized space travel is not without disgust and dissenters. As a dissenter, Buzz Aldrin questioned Elon Musk’s Mars proposal by arguing, “Well, now, when your [rocket] lands on Mars with people, is there going to be anything down there for you to live in or do?” Buzz Aldrin is not alone in his questioning of the motives behind mega corporations’ space projects. Billionaire-funded space …

Outdated United States' Online Copyright Infringement Practices: What We Can Learn From The International Community, Ian Carstens

San Diego International Law Journal

Current United States practices and regulations regarding what is known as “the Server Test,” the DMCA, and online piracy need to be studied and brought into the realities of the modern world. With new technologies and uses being invented for the internet every day, the U.S. cannot afford to drag its heels any longer or it risks their statutory and case law becoming dangerously underequipped to deal with daily life. This paper proposes that the United States government listen to its own departments, the wishes of its citizens, and the examples being broadcasted internationally to form a new system to …

24-1, 2022 Masthead

San Diego International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

End Crime With Harm? Castration For Sexual Offenders In Hong Kong, Max Hua Chen

San Diego International Law Journal

The issue of post-conviction treatment of sex offenders has been the subject of debate and changes to State legislation, particularly in respect of paedophile offences. One such treatment method is through chemical or physical castration on either a mandatory or a voluntary basis. In this regard, some States have implemented these measures for certain paedophile offences. Hong Kong (HK) has no such laws in place. Researchers such as William Winslade and his colleagues highlighted that whilst paedophilia may not be a stringently defined condition, it is one which involves a “reinforcing [pattern] of sexual behaviors,” with the result that sexual …

Long Live Joint Criminal Enterprise: With A Particular Reference To Tadić’S Interactive Construction Between “The Beast” And Specific Direction, Miguel Ângelo Loureiro Manero De Lemos

San Diego International Law Journal

The idea that Joint Criminal Enterprise, in particular its extended version, contravenes fundamental principles of criminal law has gained track. Thus, not only did the International Criminal Court distance itself from the construct but, today, the widely held view is that the extended version should be discarded, not least because it is not grounded in customary international law. This Article challenges that view. While addressing scholarly criticism towards Joint Criminal Enterprise, and demonstrating why the “beast” is a solid construction, it argues that prosecutors and judges must look past the written provisions of the Statute of the International Criminal Court …

‘I Will Control Your Mind’: The International Regulation Of Brain-Hacking, Thibault Moulin

San Diego International Law Journal

In the near future, the use of neurotechnologies—like brain-computer interfaces and brain stimulation—could become widespread. It will not only be used to help persons with disabilities or illness, but also by members of the armed forces and in everyday life (e.g., for entertainment and gaming). However, recent studies suggested that it is possible to hack into neural devices to obtain information, inflict pain, induce mood change, or influence movements. This Article anticipates three scenarios which may be challenging in the future—i.e., brain hacking for the purpose of reading thoughts, remotely controlling someone, and inflicting pain or death—and assesses their compliance …

A Path Forward To #Niunamenos Based On An Intersectional Analysis Of Laws Criminalizing Femicide/Feminicide In Latin America, Melissa Padilla

San Diego International Law Journal

Since 2007, eighteen Latin American countries have enacted laws that criminalize femicide/‌feminicide in an effort to address gender-based murders in the region and to uphold their obligations under international human rights law. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its systemic lingering effects exacerbated the existent dangerous levels of gender-based violence in the region, resulting in an increase in gender-based murders. To address these murders, between 2020 and 2021, a quarter of the eighteen Latin American countries that criminalized femicide/‌feminicide have implemented or are in the process of implementing reforms to their laws criminalizing femicide/‌feminicide. Given this new trend to address the …

Deportations For Drug Convictions In The United States And The European Union: Creating A More Compassionate Approach Toward Drug Convictions In The Immigration Law, Megan Smith

San Diego International Law Journal

This Comment begins by examining and comparing the legal framework for deportation and other immigration consequences for convictions of drug offenses in the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. This Comment then looks at the harsh effects of current immigration policy on individuals and marginalized communities. Finally, this Comment argues that immigration law should be reformed to adopt a more humanitarian approach toward non-citizens convicted of drug offenses. Deportation and other harsh immigration consequences for drug offenses levy disproportionately severe punishments toward vulnerable minority immigrant communities, exposing them to consequences much harsher than non-immigrants would face for …

K-Pop’S Secret Weapon: South Korea’S Criminal Defamation Laws, Rebecca Xu

San Diego International Law Journal

South Korea’s criminal defamation laws have long been considered an intrusion on the free speech rights of citizens, especially in regard to the usage by politicians against their opponents and journalists to suppress criticisms. This Comment considers the history and effects of these controversial defamation laws through the lens of recent scandals within the Korean entertainment industry, where regular citizens accusing Korean celebrities of past school violence are confronted with threats of defamation charges. To highlight the controversial nature of such laws, comparisons will be drawn between South Korea and other countries to highlight the restrictive nature of Korea’s laws.

23-2, 2022 Masthead

San Diego International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

How The U.S. Can Make Subject Matter Eligibility More Predictable And Free Artificial Intelligence Innovation, Kelley Sheehan

San Diego International Law Journal

This Article will begin by exploring the abilities of current A.I. technology, the effects of current law on innovation in the A.I. industry across different countries, how countries have dealt with the increasing applications in the field, the important applications of A.I., and how more predictable patentability might be achieved based on goals for the U.S. industry and modeling other countries.

A discussion of patent law treatment of A.I. in the U.S., China, and Japan sets the stage for how each country has adapted to attempt to address this growing industry. From there, solutions and suggestions will be made on …

Ireland’S Case Of Diminishing Returns: How Ireland’S Corporate Tax Policy Fails To Serve The Irish People And Their Democracy, Ronan Nelson

San Diego International Law Journal

This Comment starts by providing a historical overview of Irish corporate tax policy and the significant role it played in bringing the country up to economic strength with other economies in Western Europe. Then, it explains the current state of Ireland’s corporate tax code and explores influential legislation in the European Union and the United States governing their respective approaches to tax competition and tax harmonization. This is done to more clearly juxtapose the Irish government’s outdated, yet continuing maintenance of the country’s tax haven status with changes in international tax enforcement and corporate tax policy that further diminish the …

Comparing Social Media Content Regulation In The Us And The Eu: How The Us Can Move Forward With Section 230 To Bolster Social Media Users’ Freedom Of Expression, Trent Scheurman

San Diego International Law Journal

This Article will compare 47 U.S.C. § 230 (“Section 230”), the United States law governing civil claims that prevent social media companies from being treated like the publishers of their own users’ posts and the companies’ abilities to remove user posts, with the European Union’s (“EU”) equivalent governing law, the E-commerce Directive. The E-Commerce Directive will be used as an example of a governmental regulation that better prevents viewpoint discrimination, but at the cost of a lower standard of user expression. A lower standard of user expression means diminished rights in exercising free speech, as exemplified by the EU outlawing …

International Law, Corruption And The Rights Of Children In Africa, John Mukum Mbaku

San Diego International Law Journal

In adopting the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (“African Child Charter”) on July 1, 1990, Africans, through the Organization of African Unity, officially recognized the need to guarantee the fundamental rights of all children. They also imposed obligations on all African States to recognize the rights, freedoms and duties enshrined in the African Child Charter and required States to take all necessary measures to give effect to these rights. To aid in the realization of these rights, each African State was expected to domesticate the African Child Charter and create rights that are justiciable in …

Facial Recognition Technology And Privacy: Race And Gender - How To Ensure The Right To Privacy Is Protected, Lindsey Jacques

San Diego International Law Journal

This Article specifically focuses on the use of FRT by the five permanent members of the United Nations (“UN”) Security Council which are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States (the five nations). As permanent members of the Security Council, these five nations are tasked with maintaining international security under the UN Charter.

National leaders in these countries are forced to face the question of whether the national security mitigating benefits of FRT outweigh the privacy and equity concerns the technology imposes for populations often considered the most vulnerable. This Article proposes solutions to this …

The Current State Of Gene Doping And The Future Of Gene Therapy Regulations, Sean Costa

San Diego International Law Journal

Genome editing, also referred to as “gene editing” or “gene therapy,” is no longer a theoretical eventuality of scientific progression; it is a reality of modern life. One of the numerous groups affected by this technology is athletes as “gene doping” becomes a more viable option to improve athletic performance each year. Some international agencies have begun to address the issues presented by gene doping, but there is no comprehensive international framework or regulations on the proper standards of use or punishment for those who abuse this new technology. International agencies must work together to establish regulations for human genome …

23-1, 2022 Masthead

San Diego International Law Journal

No abstract provided.