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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2,932 Articles

Biden Team’s Litigation Tactics on Guantanamo Undercut Biden Policy to Close the Prison

The administration's new moves before Supreme Court raise questions about whether it will more broadly decline to use straightforward tools to close Guantanamo and end indefinite…
A U.S. Marshal walks outside the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse in Washington D.C. on Saturday, June 28, 2014.

The Public Should Have Access to the Surveillance Court’s Opinions

For decades, a special court—the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, or “FISC”—has issued secret legal opinions authorizing the U.S. government to conduct sweeping…
The E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse, in Washington, DC, as seen from the sky.

Don’t Place Judicial Accountability In The Dark

Efforts to ensure the safety and security of federal judges – including by shielding certain personal information, such as addresses, from public disclosure – are sadly necessary…
The International Criminal Court's (ICC) chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, holds a press conference during her visit to look into allegations of extreme violence on May 3, 2018 in Kinshasa.

Congress Must Reform Sanctions Law to Avoid ICC Penalties from Happening Again

Reversing the sanctions the Trump administration placed on International Criminal Court leaders is not enough to prevent something like that from happening again.
People wearing face masks visit a Huawei booth during the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai on February 23, 2021.

China’s Dystopian “New IP” Plan Shows Need for Renewed US Commitment to Internet Governance

The US must rally partners to rein in the abuse of multilateral institutions for Huawei’s plans on 6G and beyond, which make concerns over 5G look minor.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Hizyme Potter, administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Capt. Stewart Bateshansky, commodore of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 3, aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) in the Arabian Gulf, March 19, 2021. Both wear face masks and Hospital Corpsman Potter wears gloves and a face shield.

Should the COVID-19 Vaccine Be Required for the Military?

A mandatory vaccination program would likely be upheld in military and federal courts if President Biden determines that it is in the interests of national security.
Security Council members hold a videoconference in connection with Maintenance of international peace and security.

National Security Last Week at the United Nations (April 2-9)

United States Lifts Sanctions Against ICC Officials On April 2, President Joe Biden reversed one of former President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which imposed sanctions…
The US Supreme Court is seen in Washington, D.C. The sky is sunny and blue, and bushes and trees stand outside the building.

We Do Need to Reform the Supreme Court

Why introducing a term limit or a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices is needed.
A young Honduran asylum seeker waits with her family on the international bridge from Mexico to the United States on December 09, 2019 next to the border town of Matamoros, Mexico. They

To Fix the Immigration System, We Need To Start With Immigration Courts

If we want to re-build a better, stronger immigration system, we need to start with immigration courts.
Beji Caid Essebsi Tunisian President; Alpha Conde President of the Republic of Guinea, Faure Gnassingbe President of the Republic of Togo; Paul Kagame President of the Republic of Rwanda; German Chancellor Angela Merkel; German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz; Abdelfattah al-Sisi Egyptian President; Alassane Ouattara Ivory Coast president; Macky Sall President of the Republic of Senegal; Patrice Talon President of the Republic of Benin and President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina; Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz; Abiy Ahmed Ali Ethiopian Prime Minister; International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde; Nana Akufo-Addo President of the Republic of Ghana; Cyril Ramaphosa South African President; World Bank President Jim Yong Kim; African Union (AU) Commission representative Moussa Faki Mahamat and Morocco's Finance Minister Mohamed Benchaaboun pose for a picture during the "Compact with Africa" conference on trade, aid and diplomacy on October 30, 2018 at the Chancellery in Berlin.

What Are the Stakes of the Upcoming Elections in Benin?

Since becoming the first country in Africa to overthrow a military dictator by democratic means, the Republic of Benin has been a highly stable and robust democracy, widely renowned…
U.S. President Joe Biden, without a face mask, and U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, with a face mask, participate in a virtual meeting with leaders of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue countries March 12, 2021 at the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC.

Why Biden Needs to Rescind Trump’s ICC Sanctions Now

A deadline looms in the case challenging executive order 13928, which imposed sanctions against the ICC. Will the Biden administration defend the former administration’s reckless…
The building and grounds of Germany’s Federal Court of Justice. There is a grassy lawn with a fountain, trees lining the sides, and the building itself is centered.

On Functional Immunity of Foreign Officials and Crimes under International Law

Landmark judgment by Germany’s top criminal court on foreign officials' lack of immunity in war crimes trials. Analysis by renowned scholar, Professor Claus Kress.
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