International Law Commons^™

The Political Question Doctrine In Private Military Company Liability Cases: Defining Claims To Ensure Accountability, Joelle D. Keypour

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The note argues that the political question doctrine should be narrowly applied to private military companies (PMCs) to ensure accountability while preserving the separation of powers. It critiques the inconsistent application of the Baker v. Carr six-factor test in PMC cases, which often shields these entities from liability. The proposed solution is a dual classification system for claims—distinguishing between commercial-related and combat-related activities—to provide clarity and prevent abuse of the doctrine. This approach aims to balance judicial oversight with respect for executive authority in sensitive military matters.

Back To The Bad Old Days: President Putin's Hold On Free Speech In The Russian Federation, Rebecca Favret

Law Student Publications

This paper addresses new laws promulgated in Russia that restrict freedom of speech. Each implicitly reflects the Kremlin's hostility toward political dissidence in the aftermath of serious protests following President Putin's reelection and elections to the legislature. Disturbed by the outcry, which took place in cities across Russia but also infiltrated the Internet, the Russian legislature passed strict laws censoring Internet speech, prohibiting behavior and speech deemed "extremist," and curbing the size and type of public gatherings.

The new legislation is examined through the lens of some of the Kremlin's most infamous and recent targets: namely, the Internet blacklist and …

Challenges To Compliance With International Humanitarian Law In The Context Of Contemporary Warfare, Morgan Kelley

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The changing nature of warfare in the 21^st century poses a multitude of challenges to the perceived applicability of International Humanitarian Law for both State and non-State actors in contemporary conflicts. These issues, including but not limited to: ambiguity in the distinction of violent conflict, the changing type of actors involved, issues of asymmetric warfare, challenges of negative reciprocity, and an inhibited ability to engage with all parties to conflict, are detrimental to the overriding purpose of IHL. Still, the oftentimes inefficient nature of the international system, as well as lack of consensus regarding new legislation means that formal …

Rethinking Legal Globalization: The Case Of Transnational Personal Jurisdiction, Donald Earl Childress Iii

William & Mary Law Review

Under what circumstances may a United States court exercise personal jurisdiction over alien defendants? Courts and commentators have yet to offer a coherent response to this question. That is surprising given that scholars have been calling for the globalization of U.S. law since the late 1980s as part of a transnational litigation narrative.

Through doctrinal and empirical analysis, this Article argues that a U.S. court should have power to exercise personal jurisdiction over an alien defendant not served with process within a state’s borders when (1) the defendant has received constitutionally adequate notice, (2) the state has a constitutionally sufficient …

Miranda Rights For Terrorists: The Obama Administration's New Policy And What It Means For The War On Terror, Randall Blowers

Connecticut Journal of International Law

This paper will address the legal issues raised by the implementation by the Obama administration requiring the reading of Miranda rights by federal law enforcement agencies to foreign terror detainees following the December 2009 attack. It will also address the policy implications of a scenario where the United States government must choose between a law enforcement approach concerned with collecting evidence for a criminal trial, and a national security approach concerned with preventing future attacks.

Does Life Tenure Make Judges More Independent? A Comparative Study Of Judicial Appointments In India, Abhinav Chandrachud

Connecticut Journal of International Law

For a long time, legal realists have argued that the process of constitutional adjudication can seldom be neutral or devoid of judges' value preferences and that judges of constitutional courts decide cases on the basis of pre-existing social and political commitments.I As a consequence, much attention has been focused on the appointment process of politically visible judiciaries. There is a vibrant comparative literature on the process of judicial appointments within different 2 national systems. Empirical scholars of constitutional law have long been concerned with questions such as whether the process of appointing judges should be political, whether judges should reflect …

Preserving Cross-Media Ownership Limits: Localism, The Nbco Rule, And Lessons From Canada And The Uk, Nadia Oviedo

Connecticut Journal of International Law

Rules restricting cross-media ownership are an important part of governmental control of media ownership rules in the United States, and the policies and politics underlying the structure of the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership (NBCO) Rule have been the subject of much debate in recent years. The term "crossownership" refers to one media company's ownership of both a broadcast station and a newspaper, or a television and radio station. Among other advantages, crossownership arguably allows the media to operate more efficiently and facilitates the development of new technologies.' But the problem with allowing for a high level of consolidation across newspapers, television, and …

The Crime Of Terrorism And The Right Of Revolution In International Law, Aleksandar Marsavelski

Connecticut Journal of International Law

Contemporary international law incorporates one aspect of the right of revolution under the right of self-determination, which permits the use of force against colonial domination, alien occupation and racist regimes. However, the right of self-determination does not cover other situations involving entrapped nations suffering severe oppression by their governments. One such situation is presently taking place in Syria under the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. In February 2012, according to Navi Pillay, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, the overall death toll exceeded 5,400 people (including civilians and military personnel who refused to shoot civilians), more than 18,000 were …

Unilateral Non-Colonial Secession And The Use Of Force: Effect On Claims To Statehood In International Law, Glen Anderson

Connecticut Journal of International Law

Unilateral non-colonial (UNC) secession' is a well-recognised method of state 2 creation, yet with few exceptions, legal scholars have not analysed how the use of force by UNC secessionist groups might affect claims to statehood in international law.3 This inquiry is important because there is growing acceptance that statehood is predicated not just on traditional criteria based on effectiveness, but also nontraditional criteria based on compliance with peremptory norms (jus cogens).  UNC secessionist groups, if they are to successfully achieve statehood, must therefore refrain from breaching the peremptory norm prohibiting the illegal use of force.

International Law’S Erie Moment, Harlan G. Cohen

Scholarly Works

Who fills international law’s gaps? Whether over the meaning of bilateral investment treaties, the standards regarding detainee transfer, or the rules of non-international armed conflict, courts and states are increasingly in conflict over the authority to say what the law is. With international law’s increased judicialization, two competing visions of international law have emerged: One, a gap-filled international law, in which law is developed slowly through custom, argument, and negotiation, and a second, gap-less, in which disputes are resolved through a form of common law adjudication.

Drawing on growing literature on the law outside of courts, particularly out-of-court settlements, the …

The Ethics Of ‘Responsibility While Protecting’: Brazil, The Responsibility To Protect, And Guidelines For Humanitarian Intervention, James Pattison

Human Rights & Human Welfare

In the aftermath of the NATO intervention in Libya, the responsibility to protect (RtoP) doctrine has received considerable blowback. Various states, most notably some of the ‘BRICS’ states (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), claimed that NATO exceeded its mandate given to it by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1973 (by allegedly focusing on regime change rather than on the protection of civilians), was inappropriate in its target selection, violated the arms embargo by transferring arms to rebels, and generally caused too much harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.1 It was also suggested that the UK, US, and …

Piracy, Slavery, And The Limits Of International Law: The Gap Between The Rhetoric And Reality Of Jus Cogens, Stephanie Elizabeth Smith

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

A gap currently exists between the sources of international law in the canon of jus cogens or peremptory norms. This gap is observed in the comparison of the rhetoric perpetuated by the community of international lawyers and the actions of states. It is especially apparent in the two oldest tenets of jus cogens, the prohibitions against piracy and slavery. The disconnect between rhetoric and reality exposes the limitations and the political nature of international law.

The gap is demonstrated by using peremptory norms as a crucial case in the international legal system because of its perceived status as the …

Prosecuting Those Bearing Greatest Responsibility: The Lessons Of The Special Court For Sierra Leone, Charles C. Jalloh

Articles

This Article examines the controversial article 1(1) of the Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) giving that tribunal the competence "to prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibility" for serious international and domestic crimes committed during the latter part of the notoriously brutal Sierra Leonean conflict. The debate that arose during the SCSL trials was whether this bare statement constituted a jurisdictional requirement that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt or merely a type of guideline for the exercise of prosecutorial discretion. The judges of the court split on the issue. This paper is the …

The Spirit And Task Of Democratic Cosmopolitanism: European Political Identity At The Limits Of Transnational Law, Paul Linden-Retek

Journal Articles

The problem motivating this essay is the continuing, yet difficult hope for a Europe of democratic cosmopolitanism, for a Europe in which cosmopolitics works to continually question the terms of lingering exclusion while preserving our ideals of self-legislation and democratic authorship. In what follows, I expand the familiar criticism of Europe’s democratic legitimacy gap, its democratic deficit, as a lens through which to analyse the possibility of a supranational participatory identity within the European political space. First, I describe the contemporary juridification of European politics, specifically concerning the legal formalism of the European Court of Justice, and the dangers such …

Mexico And The Law Of The Sea: Contributions And Compromises. Book Review, Michael Reed

San Diego International Law Journal

Much valuable scholarly material has been published on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, often referred to simply as “UNCLOS” or “The Constitution for the Oceans.” The focus of that scholarship has usually been on interpreting the Convention’s 320 separate Articles and substantive Annexes. Such sources are, of course, critical to individuals seeking to comply with the law of the sea or sovereigns charged with enforcing it.

Inequities In Corporate And Securities Law: Disabling The Exploitative Chinese Corporation And Charting A Path To International Commercial Accountability, Jonathan P. Schmidt

San Diego International Law Journal

This article seeks to illuminate these issues and provide a roadmap for the U.S. federal and state legislatures to come together to protect the U.S. investor from the type of accounting fraud and stock misinformation that was the impetus behind enacting the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. First, this article will discuss the legal backdrop and legislative policy behind U.S. laws such as SOX and its enforcement mechanisms, and the ability for shareholders to bring securities class action derivative actions for financial fraud. This article will also discuss trade secrets laws, criminal extradition treaties, international enforcement of judgments, and elucidate the …

Explaining The Progression Of The Rights Of Same-Sex Couples In South America, Daniel De La Cruz

San Diego International Law Journal

A trend of rights advocacy has recently developed in the international community. Organizations dedicated to the principle of advancing the rights of historically under-represented and oppressed social groups have proliferated around the globe. The growth of the gay rights movement in recent years has resulted in the expansion of civil liberties afforded to same-sex couples. The movement has gained significant success in symbolic expression. Even without much knowledge of the movement, one typically associates a rainbow flag, the Greek letter lambda, and the word “pride” with the effort. Unfortunately, the movement has not achieved comparable substantive success. Same-sex couples continue …

Drawing The Line Between Competing Interests: Strengthening Online Data Privacy Protection In An Increasingly Networked World, Lori Chiu

San Diego International Law Journal

This article seeks to elucidate these issues and provide a roadmap for the U.S. government to create unified federal laws to provide the private sector with specific protocols regarding use and dissemination of consumer personal information. First, this article will provide an explanation of the U.S.’s current sector-by-sector approach to regulating personally identifying information and will provide a case study of the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) enforcement action against a social networking site in 2011 as one example of the FTC’s recent efforts at regulating online privacy. Next, this article will analyze the U.S.’s current challenge of judicial enforcement of …

Corresponding Evolution: International Law And The Emergence Of Cyber Warfare, Bradley Raboin

Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary

No abstract provided.

The Last Page: Debating Preventive War: An Arena Of Law Of Power?, Kenneth Rodman

Colby Magazine

By the time you read this essay, we will almost certainly be at war, probably without the authorization of the United Nations. A group of students asked me whether such a war would be legal under international law. A second question is, “Do such considerations matter?”

Is Jus In Bello In Crisis?, Jens David Ohlin

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

It is a truism that new technologies are remaking the tactical and legal landscape of armed conflict. While such statements are undoubtedly true, it is important to separate genuine trends from scholarly exaggeration. The following essay, an introduction to the Drone Wars symposium of the Journal, catalogues today’s most pressing disputes regarding international humanitarian law (IHL) and their consequences for criminal responsibility. These include: (i) the triggering and classification of armed conflicts with non-state actors; (ii) the relative scope of IHL and international human rights law in asymmetrical conflicts; (iii) the targeting of suspected terrorists under concept- or status-based classifications …

The Thoughtful Integration Of Mediation Into Bilateral Investment Treaty Arbitration, Nancy A. Welsh, Andrea Kupfer Schneider

Faculty Scholarship

While the current system of investment treaty arbitration has definitely improved upon the “gunboat diplomacy” used at times to address disputes between states and foreign investors, there are signs that reform is needed: states and investors increasingly express concerns regarding the costs associated with the arbitration process, some states refuse to comply with arbitral awards, other states hesitate to sign new bilateral investment treaties, and citizens have begun to engage in popular unrest at the prospect of investment treaty arbitration. As a result, both investors and states are advocating for the use of mediation to supplement investor-state arbitration. This Article …

Foreword, Kyle M. Bird

San Diego International Law Journal

The topics of the articles range from marriage equality in South America, how China-based corporations exploit U.S. investors, and how the U.S. can strengthen data privacy protection. The rise of marriage equality for same-sex couples continues to march forward in the twenty-first century. In our global economy, policing foreign corporations operating on domestic soil involves multiples hurdles that require proper navigation. In addition, with the rise of the Information Age, an increasingly cyber-connected world requires protection through vigilant legal oversight.

"At The Hospital There Are No Human Rights": Reproductive And Sexual Rights Violations Of Women Living With Hiv In Namibia, Aziza Ahmed

Faculty Scholarship

This report documents the ongoing stigma and discrimination of women living with HIV in Namibia, building on prior findings and investigations on the subject, such as the 2008 research conducted by the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) and the Namibian Women’s Health Network (NWHN). The report, based upon both desk research and a field mission, examines the human rights situation related to sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV, including the gravity and ongoing nature of forced and coerced sterilizations in Namibia. The report also provides evidence of violations of informed consent in the context …

When "Yes" Means "No": Mccarran-Ferguson, The New York Convention, And The Limits Of Congressional Assent, Aaron L. Wells

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

The article focuses on the awards and arbitration of the resolution of the international commercial disputes with respect to the cross-border contracts and agreements. The enactment of the McCarran-Ferguson Act of the U.S. was for the prevention of the general applicability of the federal legislation in the authority of the states for the purpose of regulating the insurance industry. Information on the decision of the Supreme Court of the U.S. regarding this issue is also presented.

Is There A Stare Decisis Doctrine In The Court Of Arbitration For Sport? An Analysis Of Published Awards For Anti-Doping Disputes In Track And Field, Annie Bersagel

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

The article presents information on the doctrine of the stare decisis under the court of arbitration for sport with respect to the awards and arbitration for the disputes on anti-doping in the sport of track and field. The jurisdiction of the commercial and the disciplinary disputes of the Olympic Games are exercised by the court of arbitration for sport. Information on the role of the doctrine of the civil law is also presented.

The Perfect Circle: Arbitration's Favors Become Its Flaws In An Era Of Nationalization And Regulation, Kimberly R. Wagner

Pepperdine Dispute Resolution Law Journal

The article presents information on the evolution of international commercial arbitration and viability of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process. It briefly discusses the importance of international commercial arbitration and several attributed reasons for its decline such as Americanization, nationalization, and overregulation. It reflects mediation as the replacement for arbitration, and compares the advantages of mediation and arbitration.

It Sure Looks Different From The Inside: Deciding International Disputes At The Wto, Thomas R. Graham

Philip J. Shapiro Endowed International Visiting Scholar Lecture

No abstract provided.

International Law Of Outer Space And Its Effect On Commercial Space Activity, James J. Trimble

Pepperdine Law Review

The United Nations, through a series of five treaties, has created a body of international space law which controls the activities in space of states, international organizations, and private interests. Corporations planning an investment in commercial space ventures must consider the restrictions and obligations which space law will impose on their activities. This article discusses the substantive principles of the law of outer space and focuses on those provisions which will affect commercial space activities.

Responsible Patent Protections: Preserving Public Health Objectives In The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Christina Bucci

Global Business & Development Law Journal

No abstract provided.