Rule of Law
852 Articles
De-transition: Northern Ireland and the Ongoing Challenges of Keeping the Peace
The recent Garvaghy Road standoff in Northern Ireland highlights the harsh reality that transitions from conflict are long and fragile processes.
World Bank Group Doubles Down on Risky Strategy Despite Microlending Gaps
Expanding microfinance in places affected by conflict without instituting robust safeguards risks exposing already vulnerable communities to greater financial harm.
Fueling Russia’s War: The Russian Diesel Deal and International Law
By lifting export restrictions on Russian diesel, the United States arguably bears responsibility for aiding and assisting Russia's unlawful use of force against Ukraine.
Guantanamo Dispatches: Pentagon Reducing Rank of Top Military Commission Lawyers
An order from Secretary Hegseth will lower the ranks of the top two Guantanamo military commission lawyers starting in January.
Boots Off Ballots: Troops and Elections, In Practice
Soldiers should always remember that in a democracy, any domestic deployment order given on or around an election is suspect.
The Just Security Podcast: How State and Local Governments Can Fight Back Against Authoritarianism
Erwin Chemerinsky and Aziz Huq discuss the powers that state and local governments can use to serve as a check against authoritarianism and federal overreach.
The 9/11 Military Commission and Lessons of Recent History
The rulings that the accused 9/11 plotters' confessions are inadmissible are a reminder that the U.S. government fares better when it abides by the law.
No Emergency Exception: The Ban on Troops at the Polls Was Built for Crises
Section 592 unmistakably conveys Congress’s intent to bar any kind of military interference in American elections.
Collection: Just Security 2026 Midterm Election Analysis and Commentary
This collection brings together analysis of the legal and policy issues surrounding the 2026 U.S. midterm elections published on Just Security.
Auctioning Democracy: Trump’s Promise of a $5,000 “Dividend”
Trump's pledge to pay $5,000 to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of Congress could violate federal criminal law.
Working Backwards: Inside the Trump Justice Department’s Conclusion-First Approach to Civil Rights
The Civil Rights Division regularly announces investigations or even conclusions with little to no evidence of fact-finding at all.
Activists at the Poland-Belarus Border are Still Being Prosecuted for Providing Aid to Migrants
People who help migrants and asylum seekers at Poland's border with Belarus continue to be targeted with prosecutions, interrogations, and home searches by Polish authorities.