Sean D. Murphy

Over the centuries, societies have gradually developed constraints on the use of armed force in the conduct of foreign relations. The crowning achievement of these efforts occurred in the mid-twentieth century with the general acceptance among the states of the world that the use of military force for territorial expansion was unacceptable. A central challenge for the twenty-first century rests in reconciling these constraints with the increasing desire to protect innocent persons from human rights deprivations that often take place during civil war or result from persecution by autocratic governments. Humanitarian Intervention is a detailed look at the historical development of constraints on the use of force and at incidents of humanitarian intervention prior to, during, and after the Cold War.

This volume provides a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of public international law, with useful references throughout to classic and contemporary cases and scholarship. It is designed as a stand-alone text or as a complement to any of the major casebooks on the topic. The first section of the book addresses the fundamental history and structure of international law; the second section focuses on the interface of international law and national law; and the final section presents the treaties and rules that comprise the major fields of international law: human rights, law of the sea, international environmental law, and more.

This survey draws upon the statements and actions of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the U.S. government. Topics include diplomatic and consular relations, jurisdiction and immunities, state responsibility and liability, international organizations, international economic law and human rights. Containing extracts from hard-to-find documents, generous citations to relevant sources, tables of cases and treaties, and a detailed index, this essential tool for researchers and practitioners is the first in a series of similar volumes.

This seminal casebook helped pioneer the field of U.S. foreign relations law. The 5th edition provides comprehensive treatment of the distribution of foreign relations powers within the federal government; customary international law and treaties as sources of law in the United States; the war powers; and Congress's power of the purse, federalism, and the justiciability of foreign relations cases. Particular emphasis is placed upon historical sources, materials which document the practices of the executive branch, and key doctrines of international law. Practice exercises are provided to stimulate student engagement.

Sean D. Murphy's in-depth survey of U.S. practice in international law in the period 2002-2004 draws upon the statements and actions of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the U.S. government to examine its involvement across a range of areas. These areas include diplomatic and consular relations, jurisdiction and immunities, state responsibility and liability, international organizations, international economic law, human rights, and international criminal law. This summary of the most salient issues during 2002-2004 (ranging from the treatment of detainees during the Afghan conflict in the spring of 2002 to the invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003-2004) is a central source of information about U.S. practice in international law.

Litigating War offers an in-depth examination of the law and procedure of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Claims Commission, which was tasked with deciding, through binding arbitration, claims for losses, damages, and injuries resulting from the 1998-2000 Eritrean-Ethiopian war. After providing an overview of the war, the authors describe how the Commission was established, its jurisdiction, the sources of law it applied, its treatment of nationality and evidentiary issues, and the relief it rendered. Separate chapters then address particular topics, such as the initiation of the war, battlefield conduct, belligerent occupation, aerial bombardment, prisoners of war, enemy aliens and their property, diplomats and diplomatic property, and general economic loss. A final chapter examines the lessons that might be learned from the experience of the Claims Commission, especially with an eye to the establishment of such commissions in the future.The volume includes a preface from James Crawford and also reproduces all the key documents relating to the the bilateral agreement establishing the Commission; its rules of procedure; and its numerous decisions and arbitral awards. The analytical portion of the volume contains extensive cross-references to these primary documents. Further, a comprehensive table of contents and indexes relating to subject matter, treaties, and cases provide ready access to all the material contained within.

This monograph considers the application of general rules of international law to islands, as well as special rules focused on islands, notably Article 121 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Such rules have been applied in several landmark cases in recent years, including the International Court of Justice's judgments in Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia), and arbitral awards in the Chagos Marine Protected Area Arbitration (Mauritius v. United Kingdom) and the South China Sea Arbitration (Philippines v. China). Among other things, this monograph explores: the legal concepts of "islands", "rocks" and "low-tide elevations"; methods of securing sovereignty over and the maritime zones generated by islands; islands and historic titles, bays and rights; problems of delimitation in the presence of islands; legal issues arising from changes in islands over time (notably from climate change); and contemporary techniques for resolving disputes over islands.

The Law of U.S. Foreign Relations is a comprehensive and incisive discussion of the rules that govern the conduct of U.S. relations with foreign countries and international organizations, and the rules governing how international law applies within the U.S. legal system. Among other topics, this volume examines the constitutional and historical foundations of congressional, executive, and judicial authority in foreign affairs. This includes the constitutional tensions prevalent in legislative efforts to control executive diplomacy, as well as the ebb and flow of judicial engagement in transnational disputes - with the judiciary often serving as umpire but at times invoking doctrines of abstention.The process of U.S. adherence to treaties and other international agreements is closely scrutinized as the authors examine how such law, as well as customary international law and the law-making acts of international organizations, can become a source of U.S. law. Individual chapters focus on the special challenges posed by the exercise of war powers by the federal government (including during recent incidents of international armed conflict), the complex role of the several states in foreign affairs, and the imperative to protect individual rights in the transnational sphere.Among the contemporary issues discussed are the immunity of foreign heads of State, treatment of detainees at Guantánamo, movement of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, state-level foreign compacts to address climate change, bans affecting refugees and asylum-seekers, and recent interpretations of key statutes, such as the Alien Tort Statute, the Torture Victim Protection Act, and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

The Law of U.S. Foreign Relations is a comprehensive and incisive discussion of the rules that govern the conduct of U.S. relations with foreign countries and international organizations, and the rules governing how international law applies within the U.S. legal system. Among other topics, this volume examines the constitutional and historical foundations of congressional, executive, and judicial authority in foreign affairs. This includes the constitutional tensions prevalent in legislative efforts to control executive diplomacy, as well as the ebb and flow of judicial engagement in transnational disputes - with the judiciary often serving as umpire but at times invoking doctrines of abstention.The process of U.S. adherence to treaties and other international agreements is closely scrutinized as the authors examine how such law, as well as customary international law and the law-making acts of international organizations, can become a source of U.S. law. Individual chapters focus on the special challenges posed by the exercise of war powers by the federal government (including during recent incidents of international armed conflict), the complex role of the several states in foreign affairs, and the imperative to protect individual rights in the transnational sphere.Among the contemporary issues discussed are the immunity of foreign heads of State, treatment of detainees at Guant?namo, movement of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, state-level foreign compacts to address climate change, bans affecting refugees and asylum-seekers, and recent interpretations of key statutes, such as the Alien Tort Statute, the Torture Victim Protection Act, and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

Principles of International Law, 2d by Sean D. Murphy [West, 2012] (Paperback) 2nd Edition [ Paperback ]

This edition of Public International Law in a Nutshell remains a concise yet accurate summary of the field of public international law, covering its basic structure, sources, actors, and procedures, and key subject matter areas, such as human rights, the law of the sea, international environmental law, use of military force, and U.S. foreign relations law. This edition, which is intended to be helpful for students, scholars, and practitioners alike, is fully updated to include recent treaties, practice, institutions, and International Court of Justice decisions.