How To

How to Find Sources of International Law

By eHow Legal Editor
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International law is a much discussed but little understood facet of law and politics. While many people know that such a thing as international law exists, few can point to any solid sources of the law. Finding these sources is a crucial part of engaging in dialog and discussion on this important topic.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Determine what kind of international law you are interested in finding sources for. The most likely form of international law is called public international law as it involves public entities such as sovereign nations, colonies and territories and the subjects (or citizens) of these places. Private international law relates to corporate, private entities that are usually businesses, while supranational law involves collectives of national entities such as the European Union.

  2. Step 2

    Look at the Geneva Conventions as one of your first sources for international law. The Conventions provide law that deals primarily with humanitarian concerns, such as the conduct of soldiers and armies in war and the rights of people and groups such as refugees.

  3. Step 3

    Refer to the International Court of Justice for cases of precedence regarding conflicts between nations that are generally of a retributive or commercial nature. The International Court adjudicates on things like disputes between government companies in international waters and compensation of terror attacks that were sponsored by national governments.

  4. Step 4

    Use the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention as the 2 major sources of international copyright and intellectual property protection law. The Berne and Universal Copyright Conventions are applicable only to signatories of the 2 conventions, so make sure that the countries you're interested in finding law sources for signed at least 1 of the 2 conventions.

  5. Step 5

    Check a law information clearing house such as WebLaw for a centralized source of information regarding other forms of law such as maritime (admiralty) law and international law regarding weapons proliferations.

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