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Customary international law

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Title: Customary international law


1
Customary international law
  • Lecture 9
  • February 2

2
ASSIGNMENT -
  • Wednesday, Feb. 4
  • Customary International Law
  • Asylum Case
  • Lotus case
  • The Texaco/Libya Arbitration
  • REMEMBER DEADLINE FOR TOPIC FOR RESEARCH PAPERS
    IS Friday, Feb.6 sign-up sheet on my desk
  • Midterm, March 2 - EKLC E1B20
  • Wednesday, March 4 Guest Speaker
  • Adjunct Professor David Akerson
  • TODAY
  • QUIZ
  • Paquette Habana

3
Customary international law
  • PUT IN PERSPECTIVE
  • Sources of Intl Law
  • 1. Treaties
  • 2. Customary Intl Law
  • 3. General Principles recognized by civilized
    nations
  • 4. Judicial Decisions and teachings
  • 5. Soft law
  • CUSTOMARY INTL LAW
  • - non-treaty sources are more universal in their
    reach than treaties
  • - provide the essential context of law in which
    to interpret treaties
  • - But more difficult in terms of defining the
    rules and ascertaining party consent (if any)

4
Customary international law
  • Customary intl law DEFINITION - state practice
    opinio juris
  • I. State practice Objective element
  • 1) Duration -
  • 2) Uniformity, consistency of the practice -
  • 3) Generality of practice universality is not
    required
  • II. Opinio juris Subjective element
  • accepted by states Art.38(1)(b) doing the
    practice out of a sense of legal obligation as
    opposed to motives of courtesy, morality or
    fairness
  • The problem is one of proof.
  • (sometimes the court infers opinion juris)
  • Persistent objector- a state may contract out of
    a custom in the process of formation. Objection
    must be clear. Anglo-Norwegian Fisheries case
    Norway was allowed to enforce her system of wider
    than ordinary exclusive fishing zone.
  • CIL - may be adjusted through treaties UNLESS
  • JUS COGENS peremptory norms states cannot
    opt out
  • Different types of custom regional or general
    custom

5
Evidence of customary intl law
  • - diplomatic correspondence, policy statements,
    press releases, the opinions of official legal
    advisers, official maunuals on legal questions,
    such as manuals of military law, executive
    decisions and practices, orders to naval forces
    etc., comments by governments on drafts produced
    by the ILC, state legislation, international and
    national judicial decisions, recitals and other
    international instruments, a pattern of treaties
    in the same form, the practice of intl organs,
    resolutions relating to legal questions in the UN
    General Assembly, judicial decisions, and
    publications by intl law commentators

6
The Paquete Habana
  • 1. Court
  • 2. Sources
  • 3. Facts
  • 4. Issue
  • 5. Holding and Decision
  • 6. Reasoning
  • 7. Significance of case

7
The Paquete Habana
  • 1. Court US Supreme Court
  • 2. Sources Treaties, custom, teachings by
    eminent scholars, municipal law as evidence
  • 3. Facts Spanish American War Spanish fishing
    vessel in and out of Havana cargo fresh fish
    no offensive arms, no suspicion of intelligence.
  • Captured by the US navy as prize of war

8
Paquete Habana
  • 4. Issue Are fishing vessels exempt from
    capture as prize of war?
  • 5. Holding and Decision Yes. Fishing vessels
    are exempt from capture as prize of war as long
    as no arms and not assisting the enemy. Paquete
    Habana just a fishing vessel no attempt to run
    the blockade, no arms on board.
  • Decision The Capture of Paquete Habana was
    unlawful decree by District Court ordered
    reversed.

9
6. Reasoning-
  • Customary intl law clearly shows fishing
    vessels are exempt from capture.
  • 1) Earlier treaties generally accepted rule of
    conduct. Generally accepted universal
    obligation.
  • 2) Custom and usage of nations several states
    had edicts, orders, or instructions exempting
    fishing boats from capture at times of war -
    ripened into intl law,
  • 3) evidenced by works of jurists and commentators.
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