The Annotated Digest of the International Criminal Court, 2009, is the fourth in a series of volumes which compile the most significant legal findings in public decisions rendered by the ICC. This volume addresses questions considered by the ICC in 2009 including substantive issues involving the elements of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and command responsibility, as well as questions about the right to legal assistance, the legal recharacterization of charges, and the participation of victims in proceedings before the Court. Abstracts compiled in this series were selected based on the following criteria: (i) clarification of a legal issue or interpretation of a legal provision; (ii) implementation of a legal provision; and (iii) meaningfulness with respect to international justice, human rights, or international humanitarian law.

The Annotated Digest of the International Criminal Court, 2008, is the third volume in an annual series, which compiles a selection of the most significant legal findings from public decisions rendered by the International Criminal Court in 2008. A total of 472 public decisions were reviewed for the preparation of this volume. The selected abstracts include an extraordinary number of landmark decisions on substantive and procedural issues including, among others, the constitutive elements of crimes against humanity and war crimes, the rights of victims to participate in different stages of proceedings, the guarantees of a fair trial, and the prosecutorial obligation to disclose potentially exculpatory evidence in its possession. The year was marked by two new arrests, one in the situation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Ngudjolo), the other in the situation from the Central African Republic (Bemba), as well as confirmation of charges in the joint case The Prosecutor v. Katanga and Ngudjolo. Finally, 2008 paved the way for commencement of the first trials in the history of the International Criminal Court, which officially began in 2009. Abstracts included in this series were selected based on the following criteria: (i) clarification of a legal issue or interpretation of a legal provision; (ii) implementation or application of a legal provision; and (iii) meaningfulness with respect to international justice, human rights, or international humanitarian law. Passages are normally quoted in English, except where the English translation has not been made available; in such circumstances, abstracts are provided in French with an accompanying English-language summary. Selected abstracts are organized under the relevant Statute, Rule of Procedure and Evidence, or Regulation of the Court. A short description or summary is provided for each topic, and a reference system and index allow for easy reference to other decisions quoted in the Digest series.

Now in a comprehensively updated edition, this indispensable handbook analyzes how international humanitarian law has evolved in the face of these many new challenges. Central concerns include the war on terror, new forms of armed conflict and humanitarian action, the emergence of international criminal justice, and the reshaping of fundamental rules and consensus in a multipolar world. ThePractical Guide to Humanitarian Law provides the precise meaning and content for over 200 terms such as terrorism, refugee, genocide, armed conflict, protection, peacekeeping, torture, and private military companies—words that the media has introduced into everyday conversation, yet whose legal and political meanings are often obscure. The Guide definitively explains the terms, concepts, and rules of humanitarian law in accessible and reader-friendly alphabetical entries. Written from the perspective of victims and those who provide assistance to them, the Guide outlines the dangers, spells out the law, and points the way toward dealing with violations of the law. Entries are complemented by analysis of the decisions of relevant courts; detailed bibliographic references; addresses, phone numbers, and Internet links to the organizations presented; a thematic index; and an up-to-date list of the status of ratification of more than thirty international conventions and treaties concerning humanitarian law, human rights, refugee law, and international criminal law. This unprecedented work is an invaluable reference for policy makers and opinion leaders, students, relief workers, and members of humanitarian organizations. Published in cooperation with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières.

The Rome Statute, unlike the statutes of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda, creates a permanent court whose dormant jurisdiction covers the territory and includes the nationals of States Parties and is universal in cases where the Security Council makes a referral. Besides, unlike the "ad hoc" tribunals, which have jurisdiction over specific crisis situations whose personal, territorial and temporal parameters have been defined in their respective statutes by the UN Security Council, in the case of the ICC it is not possible to determine a priori in which situations the ICC will be involved. As a result, the most relevant activity of the Court is the determination of those situations regarding which the dormant jurisdiction of the Court will be triggered. The book "The Triggering Procedure of the International Criminal Court" constitutes the first comprehensive analysis of the proceedings that, prior to any criminal investigation, aim to make such a fundamental determination.

The move to end impunity for human rights atrocities has seen the creation of international and hybrid tribunals and increased prosecutions in domestic courts. The Oxford Companion to International Criminal Justice is the first major reference work to provide a complete overview of this emerging field. Its nearly 1100 pages are divided into three sections. In the first part, 21 essays by leading thinkers offer a comprehensive survey of issues and debates surrounding international humanitarian law, international criminal law, and their enforcement. The second part is arranged alphabetically, containing 320 entries on doctrines, procedures, institutions and personalities. The final part contains over 400 case summaries on different trials from international and domestic courts dealing with war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, torture, and terrorism. With analysis and commentary on every aspect of international criminal justice, this Companion is designed to be the first port of call for scholars and practitioners interested in current developments in international justice.

This highly specialized study assesses the procedure of surrender of individuals to international criminal courts, based on the practices of the International Criminal Court (ICC), that of the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and that of Rwanda (ICTR). The study includes discussion of the difference between extradition and surrender, the different conceptual systems of the three courts with regard to surrender obligations and rights, the judicial implications of surrender, the specific surrender defenses used in the three courts, and aspects of international extradition law and human rights law. Specific cases from the three courts are cited throughout. Knoops is a criminal lawyer in The Hague in The Netherlands. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

International and Foreign Legal Research: A Coursebook, second edition by Hoffman and Rumsey, now in a second edition, is designed for classes in foreign and international legal research. Topics covered in the book range from treaty research to chapters on particular subjects of international law. Coverage also includes chapters on researching foreign and comparative law as well as major international organizations, including the UN and the EU.

Scores of talented and dedicated people serve the forensic science community, performing vitally important work. However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community. The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs. While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.