Term
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Definition
The body of rules applicable to the conduct of nations, the conduct of relationships with other nations, the conduct of nations in their relationships with individuals, and rules for international, or intergovernmental, organizations.
It can also include crimes and criminal procedures applicable to genocide, war crimes, and offenses against humanity committed by individuals in an official capacity. |
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Definition
| Deals with those rules affecting the conduct of nations in their relationships with each other and with individuals. |
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| Private International Law |
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Definition
| Deals with the rights and responsibilities of private individuals or corporations operating in an international environment. |
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| Statute of the International Court of Justice |
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Definition
| The judicial arm of the United Nations |
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| Customary International Law |
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Definition
| Includes those commonly accepted rules of conduct that, through a consistent and long-standing practice, nations have followed out of a sense of binding obligation. |
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Definition
| A legally binding (in the "international law" sense) agreement, contract, or compact between two or more nations that is recognized and given effect under international law. |
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| "The pact must be respected." Means that treaties are binding upon the parties by consent and must be performed by them in good faith. |
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Definition
| A legally binding multilateral treaty on matters of common concern, usually negotiated on a regional or global basis and open to adoption by many nations. |
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| An agreement that modifies or adds to a treaty or convention, or that deals with matters less significant than those dealt with in treaties. It is usually used to address matters that are ancillary to a main treaty or convention. |
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| The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties |
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Definition
| Became effective in 1980 in about half of the countries in the world; Codified many of the customary rules. |
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Definition
| Needs no further action by a domestic lawmaking body, such as legislature, in order for it to be binding. |
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| Non-Self-Executing Treaty |
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Definition
| Requires some legislative act in order for it to become a part of a country's domestic law. |
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| International Humanitarian Law |
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Definition
| Refers to those rules for how nations treat combatants, noncombatants, refugees, and other civilians during way or civil conflict. |
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| International Human Rights Law |
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Definition
| Protects indidivuals and groups from the acts of governments that violate their civil, political, or human rights during times of peace. |
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| International Criminal Law |
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Definition
| A body of public international law closely related to humanitarian and human rights law. It deals with the obligations of individuals, who are acting in an official capacity, for crimes committed against other individuals. |
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Definition
| The power of a nation to create laws that proscribe conduct and to act over individuals, corporations, or their property in the application or enforcement of those laws. |
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Definition
| The principle that a nation can project its laws beyond its territorial borders. |
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| Territoriality/Territorial Jurisdiction |
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Definition
| Refers to the jurisdiction over all persons (citizens and noncitizens), places, and property within the territory, airspace, or territorial waters of a country. |
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| Subjective Territorial Jurisdiction |
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Definition
| Exists where a crime was actually committed within the territory. |
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| Objective Territorial Jurisdiction/The "Effects Principle" |
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Definition
| Exists where the act was committed outside a country's territory, but had a substantial effect inside the country. |
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Definition
| Individual and corporate citizens owe a duty to comply with the laws of their country of nationality no matter where they are in the world. |
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Definition
| Allows jurisdiction over noncitizens for acts done abroad on the basis of a country's need to protect its national security, vital economic interests, and governmental functions. |
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Definition
| Can give a country the right to hear cases stemming from crimes committed against their own citizens by foreign citizens outside of their own territory. |
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| Universality Principle/Universal Jurisdiction |
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Definition
| Permits any country to prosecute perpetrators of the most heinous and universally condemned crimes regardless of where the crimes occurred or the nationality of the perpetrators of the crime. |
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| Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties |
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Definition
| Agreements for law enforcement cooperation. |
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Definition
| Where one country surrenders a person to the officials of another country to stand trial in a criminal case. |
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Definition
| Refers to the willingness of one court or department of government to respect the rules or decisions of another or to grant it some privilege or favor. |
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| Is a judicial doctrine, not an international law, based on the desire for courtesy and reciprocity between countries. |
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| The supreme and absolute power that governs an independent state or nation. |
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| A doctrine that states that the courts of one country cannot hear cases brought against the government of another country and that courts cannot involve themselves in the internal affairs of a foreign country. |
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| A principle of domestic law (not international law) that prohibits the courts from inquiring into the validity of the legislative or executive acts of another country. |
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