340 likes | 527 Views
Overview. DefinitionsPublic International LawPrivate International LawForeign LawComparative LawSources of Law. Public International Law. Governs the relationships between national governments, the relationships between intergovernmental organizations, and the relationships between national governments and intergovernmental organizations. .
E N D
1. Researching International Law
Advanced Legal Research November 7, 2006
Marci HoffmanInternational & Foreign Law Librarian
mhoffman@law.berkeley.edu
2. Overview Definitions
Public International Law
Private International Law
Foreign Law
Comparative Law
Sources of Law
3. Public International Law Governs the relationships between national governments, the relationships between intergovernmental organizations, and the relationships between national governments and intergovernmental organizations.
4. Private International Law Governs the choice of law to apply when there are conflicts in the municipal law of different nations related to private transactions between those nations. Often known as conflict of laws.
Topics include contracts, marriage and divorce, jurisdiction, recognition of judgments, child adoption and abduction.
5. Foreign Law Defines the role of governments to the people they govern and controls relationships between people. It may regulate foreign persons and entities, but it does not have effect outside the boundaries of a nation.
6. Sources of Law Public International Law
Treaties
Customary law
General principles
Court decisions
Scholarly commentary Private International Law
National law
Treaties
Customary law
Court decisions
Scholarly commentary
7. Getting Started Find a relevant research guide.
Define basic concepts or terms, abbreviations or acronyms.
Locate secondary sources (journal articles, books, reports).
8. Research Guides Introduction to International & Foreign Legal Research
ASIL Guide to Electronic Resources
Guide to International Legal Research
Germain’s Transnational Law Research
9. Abbreviations & Acronyms Bieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations
World Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations
Noble's International Guide to the Law Reports
Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations
10. Definitions & Background Information Encyclopedia of Public International Law
Encyclopedia of the United Nations
Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law
11. Secondary Sources Journal articles
Legal journal indexes
Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP)
Legal Resource Index (LRI) (LegalTrac)
Legal Journals Index (LJI)
Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (IFLP)
Law-related journal indexes (PAIS, Social Science Index, EconLit)
Books
LAWCAT
12. International Law Locate international instruments (treaty or agreement).
Obtain IGO/NGO information (documents, conference proceedings).
Find decisions of international courts & tribunals.
Locate relevant commentary and analysis.
13. Treaties & Agreements What are treaties?
Types
bilateral
multilateral
US is a party
Non-US treaties
14. What are Treaties? Agreements concluded between States in written form and governed by international law.
Convention, treaty, agreement, covenant, final act, charter, memorandums of understanding, protocol, pact, accord, constitution.
Usually different names have no legal significance in international law.
15. Researching Treaties Locate
Text of the treaty or agreement
Status & ratification information
Reservations or declarations
Implementing domestic legislation
Background documents or commentary
Researching Treaties and Agreements
16. Treaty Indexes U.S.
Treaties in Force
Treaty Actions
United States Treaty Index
Bilateral (non-U.S.) & Multilateral
Multilateral Treaty Calendar
United Nations Cumulative Treaty Index
Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary General
17. U.S. Treaty Collections Treaties and Other International Acts Series (T.I.A.S.)
United States Treaties and Other International Agreements (U.S.T.)
Senate Treaty Documents (S. Treaty Doc.)
18. U.S. Treaty Collections Dept. of State
Treaty Affairs
Declassified Documents: International Agreements
Congress
Treaties
U.S. Senate Treaty Documents
Thomas
Other Databases
HeinOnline: Treaties & Agreements Library
Treaties & International Agreements
LexisNexis and Westlaw
19. Other National Treaty Collections Australian Treaties Library
French Treaty Database
Hong Kong Treaty Project
Pacific Island Treaty Series
20. Multilateral Sources United Nations Treaty Series (U.N.T.S.)
United Nations Treaty Collection
European Treaty Series (ETS)
OAS Treaties
International Legal Materials (I.L.M)
21. Topical Treaty Collections Human Rights Library
Intellectual Property (WIPO)
ILOLEX (ILO)
Hague Conventions on Private International Law
Environmental Law Instruments (UNEP)
22. Status & Ratification Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary General
Treaties in Force and Treaty Actions
Web sites
Secretariat
Depository
Journal articles
Treaty indexes
23. Reservations & Declarations Reservation excludes or modifies the legal effect of provisions. Declaration clarifies a State's position.
Some treaties do not allow reservations.
Sources
Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary General
Web sites
Hague Conventions
24. Implementing Legislation National legislation
New legislation
DMCA implements two WIPO treaties
Existing legislation
Treaty Secretariats
Chemical Weapons Convention
Anti-Bribery Convention
25. Other Information Background or intent
Negotiation documents
Preparatory or preliminary documents
Legislative history
Uruguay Round Agreements Act: A Legislative History of Public Law no. 103-465
See Ŕ la Recherche des Travaux Préparatoires
26. Other Information Interpretation
Decisions
International courts & tribunals
Domestic courts
Commentary & analysis
Books, see A Commentary on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Journal articles
27. Inter-GovernmentalOrganizations (IGOs) Web sites
UN documents
GATT/WTO documents
Interesting web resources
Investment Treaties (UNCTAD)
Print documents
28. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) Web sites
Human Rights
Amnesty International
Environment
Basel Action Network
Interesting web resources
IATP
The Treaty Database Online
29. European Union Researching EU Law
EUROPA
EUR-Lex (EU Law Portal)
Print sources
LexisNexis & Westlaw
30. International Courts & Tribunals International Court of Justice
ICJ Research Guide
International Courts & Tribunals Project
Projects on International Courts & Tribunals
WorldLII: International Courts & Tribunals
31. International Law Sites Electronic Information System for International Law
Foreign and International Law Web
Foreign and International Resources: An Annotated Guide to Web Resources
32. Current Stuff International Law in Brief
ASIL Insights
Blogs
Opinio Juris
Grotian Moment: The Saddam Hussein Trial Blog
33. Last Words International legal materials come from a variety of sources & they are not always well organized.
Not all international documents are available on the web.
Commentary and analysis generally not available on the web.
Need to use a combination of print and electronic sources.