International Law in U.S. Courts

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If you are ever looking for discussion of international law within U.S. Courts, the American Society of International Law may have the site for you. i.Lex is an online database “of select U.S. court cases and related materials is designed to serve as a practical resource for members of the judiciary and other legal professionals to identify and understand how international law is interpreted and applied by U.S. courts at both the federal and state level.” The site is not an exhaustive listing of cases, but rather significant decisions. The FAQ section outlines the criteria used for selecting the cases.

The website has a nice design. It allows the researcher to select by topic, jurisdiction, treaty, court and/or statute. There is also a search box for keyword queries. Topics range from due process, to international environmental law, to tax laws. Treaties include NAFTA, the Berne Convention, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

As a sample search, I selected “All U.S. District Courts” and “Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.” The results list provided two cases. Each link includes the date, citation, a summary, a statement of significance, and a link to the decision.

Also check out the “resource” page for additional international law sites.