Courts & Litigation

Just Security’s expert authors offer analysis and informational resources on key litigation impacting national security, rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Our content spans domestic and international litigation, from cases at the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and other international and regional tribunals, to those in U.S. courts involving executive branch actions, transnational litigation, and more.

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2,854 Articles
The main gate at the prison in Guantanamo at the US Guantanamo Naval Base on October 16, 2018, in Guantanamo Base, Cuba. A tower with an American flag is seen behind barbed wire fencing.

What Comes Next After a Guantanamo Detainee’s Habeas Win

Afghan national Assadullah Haroon Gul won his habeas case at the D.C. District Court. The United States must expeditiously arrange for his transfer to Afghanistan.
Legal blind justice Themis metal statue with scales on chains

Judicial Secrecy: How To Fix the Over-sealing of Federal Court Records

The lack of uniform procedures for sealing federal court records has resulted in excessive secrecy that has caused considerable harm.
A screenshot from C-SPAN showing headshots of the Supreme Court justices. The caption underneath reads, “State Secrets, Torture & CIA Black Sites; Oral Argument; United States v. Zubaydah”

Ruminations on the Abu Zubaydah Supreme Court Oral Argument: Three Surprising Turns

“The Supreme Court oral arguments in U.S. v. Husayn (Abu Zubaydah) took a number of surprising but welcome turns."
Colombian United Self Defense (AUC) right-wing paramilitary guerrillas stand in rows holding their hands over their hearts during the demobilization ceremony 10 December, 2004 at Camp Two base camp in Tibu, north of Santander, Colombia.

New Ruling Sheds Light on State-Paramilitary Cooperation in Colombia – and on the TVPA

A US court held that Colombian paramilitaries indisputably had a symbiotic relationship with the Colombian state and are therefore liable under the TVPA.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta arrive for a press conference on Civil Enforcement Action at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC on September 9, 2021.

Reopen the Obstruction of Justice Case Against Trump

A key item in Attorney General Merrick Garland’s inbox is gathering dust: Volume 2 of the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose team investigated possible obstruction…
The outside of the building for the Tribunal de Paix de Kalehe. Guards stand in the entryways, some hold guns. A banner hangs over one of the entryways.

Incorporating Digital Technology in the Investigation of International Crimes: Lessons from the Democratic Republic of Congo

Key lessons on incorporating digital evidence of international crimes throughout the justice process and increasing its admissibility in court.
A Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) stands among hundreds of shell casings August 6, 2003 in Monrovia, Liberia.

Historic Judgment in Liberian Massacre Case Advances US Law

A landmark case offers justice for victims - and new specificity on TVPA, ATS claims for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Gregorio on December 27, 2020 in Paniqui, Tarlac province, Philippines. Six people carry a coffin, and banner behind shows their faces and reads, “Justice for Sonia R. Gregorio; Frank Anthony R. Gregorio; Our condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family from Rev. Peter M. Gregorio”

Toward a Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity: A View from the Philippines and a Region of `Non-Interference’

Such a convention could help dispel a culture of impunity by reaffirming the gravity of such atrocities and filling gaps left by the Rome Statute.
Huawei Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou, leaves British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on May 8, 2019. Reporters crowd around with cameras, and two people flank Meng Wanzhou to make a path.

The Huawei DPA: A Prologue to the Global Arrest Game?

Deferred prosecution agreement for an executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei provides short-term resolutions but raises long-term concerns.
This photograph illustration shows hands typing on a keyboard in front of the logo of Pandora Papers, in Lavau-sur-Loire, western France, on October 4, 2021.

Closing Pandora’s Box

Congress and the Treasury Department must curb law firms, financial advisors, and others implicated in the Pandora Papers secrecy gambits.
A person guides a boat through a Cham Muslim village on the waters of the Mekong River. Small buildings float on the water.

Why Religious Persecution Justifies U.S. Legislation on Crimes Against Humanity

Such a law would strengthen the prospect of the US one day seriously considering ratification of a proposed treaty.
A protester holds a placard reading "Parasites! Your Host Is Dying!" during a demonstration in front of the Bosnian government building in the centre of Sarajevo, on April 6, 2021.

Human Rights Plaintiff: US-EU Election Plan for Bosnia Rewards Nationalist Agendas

A politically expedient "fix" would sideline citizens, including those who fought to open the system via the European Court of Human Rights.
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