Michael D. Ramsey

INTERNATIONAL MATERIALS AND DOMESTIC RIGHTS: REFLECTIONS ON ATKINS AND LAWRENCE

In two recent cases—Atkins v. Virginia and Lawrence v. Texas—amicus briefs urged the U.S. Supreme Court to use international materials to expand the scope of domestic constitutional rights. In a footnote in Atkins and three paragraphs in Lawrence, the Court may have signaled a willingness to listen. Some applaud the beginning of a positive trend. Others—notably Justice Antonin Scalia in dissent in the two cases—condemn the entire project as illegitimate. Rather than seeking an immediate answer to the question whether international materials should be determinative of domestic rights, this essay makes an indirect approach by asking: if we are to undertake a serious project of using international materials in this way, what would that project look like? Identifying the nature of the project may suggest whether it is the sort of thing we want to undertake, and what the scope of its impact is likely to be.

Constitutional War Initiation and the Obama Presidency

In 2007, presidential candidate Barack Obama argued that the U.S. president did not have independent constitutional authority to use military force except in response to an actual or imminent attack on the United States. Since 2008, President Obama has directed the use of U.S. military force in at least seven countries (Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia). Critics find inconsistency in these positions, contending that the Obama presidency will be remembered for expansion of the presidencys war powers. But when the administrations record is closely examined, these claims seem overstated. At least with regard to war initiation, the Obama presidency need not be regarded as materially enhancing the presidents constitutional powers. This assessment begins by establishing two baselines. First, most war powers scholars agree that under the Constitutions original meaning, Congress’ power to “declare War” required the president to seek congressional approval prior to initiating war. This constitutional command had substantial grey areas, including responses to threats and attacks, relations with non-state actors, and low-level hostilities. Nonetheless, the basic proposition stated by candidate Obama appears well founded both in the Constitutions text itself and in early postratification practice. Second, in the modern (post-Vietnam War) era, most scholars agree that the practice has changed somewhat, with presidents asserting an expanded independent authority over uses of military force. This essay agrees with that description, although it contends that the change in actual practice is less dramatic than commentary sometimes claims.

International law in the U.S. Supreme Court : continuity and change

Part I. From the Founding to the Civil War: 1. International law in the Supreme Court, 1789-1860 David L. Sloss, Michael D. Ramsey and William S. Dodge Part II. From the Civil War to the Turn of the Century: 2. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Duncan B. Hollis 3. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 David J. Bederman 4. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Thomas H. Lee and David L. Sloss 5. A social history of international law: historical commentary, 1861-1900 John Fabian Witt Part III. From the Turn of the Century to World War II: 6. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael P. Van Alstine 7. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael D. Ramsey 8. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Roger P. Alford 9. Varieties and complexities of doctrinal change: historical commentary, 1901-45 Edward A. Purcell, Jr Part IV. From World War II to the New Millenium: 10. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Paul B. Stephan 11. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 William S. Dodge 12. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Melissa A. Waters 13. Global power in an age of rights: historical commentary, 1946-2000 Martin S. Flaherty Part V. International Law in the US Supreme Court in the Twenty-First Century: 14. Medellin and Sanchez-Llamas: treaties from John Jay to John Roberts Lori F. Damrosch 15. Sosa and the derivation of customary international law John O. McGinnis 16. International law and constitutional interpretation in the twenty-first century: change and continuity Mark Tushnet 17. Empagrans empire: international law and statutory interpretation in the US Supreme Court of the twenty-first century Ralf Michaels 18. The Supreme Court, the war on terror, and the American just war constitutional tradition David Golove.

International Law in the U.S. Supreme Court: INTERNATIONAL LAW AND STATUTORY INTERPRETATION AFTER 2000

Part I. From the Founding to the Civil War: 1. International law in the Supreme Court, 1789-1860 David L. Sloss, Michael D. Ramsey and William S. Dodge Part II. From the Civil War to the Turn of the Century: 2. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Duncan B. Hollis 3. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 David J. Bederman 4. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Thomas H. Lee and David L. Sloss 5. A social history of international law: historical commentary, 1861-1900 John Fabian Witt Part III. From the Turn of the Century to World War II: 6. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael P. Van Alstine 7. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael D. Ramsey 8. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Roger P. Alford 9. Varieties and complexities of doctrinal change: historical commentary, 1901-45 Edward A. Purcell, Jr Part IV. From World War II to the New Millenium: 10. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Paul B. Stephan 11. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 William S. Dodge 12. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Melissa A. Waters 13. Global power in an age of rights: historical commentary, 1946-2000 Martin S. Flaherty Part V. International Law in the US Supreme Court in the Twenty-First Century: 14. Medellin and Sanchez-Llamas: treaties from John Jay to John Roberts Lori F. Damrosch 15. Sosa and the derivation of customary international law John O. McGinnis 16. International law and constitutional interpretation in the twenty-first century: change and continuity Mark Tushnet 17. Empagrans empire: international law and statutory interpretation in the US Supreme Court of the twenty-first century Ralf Michaels 18. The Supreme Court, the war on terror, and the American just war constitutional tradition David Golove.

International Law in the U.S. Supreme Court: Acknowledgments

Part I. From the Founding to the Civil War: 1. International law in the Supreme Court, 1789-1860 David L. Sloss, Michael D. Ramsey and William S. Dodge Part II. From the Civil War to the Turn of the Century: 2. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Duncan B. Hollis 3. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 David J. Bederman 4. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Thomas H. Lee and David L. Sloss 5. A social history of international law: historical commentary, 1861-1900 John Fabian Witt Part III. From the Turn of the Century to World War II: 6. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael P. Van Alstine 7. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael D. Ramsey 8. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Roger P. Alford 9. Varieties and complexities of doctrinal change: historical commentary, 1901-45 Edward A. Purcell, Jr Part IV. From World War II to the New Millenium: 10. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Paul B. Stephan 11. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 William S. Dodge 12. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Melissa A. Waters 13. Global power in an age of rights: historical commentary, 1946-2000 Martin S. Flaherty Part V. International Law in the US Supreme Court in the Twenty-First Century: 14. Medellin and Sanchez-Llamas: treaties from John Jay to John Roberts Lori F. Damrosch 15. Sosa and the derivation of customary international law John O. McGinnis 16. International law and constitutional interpretation in the twenty-first century: change and continuity Mark Tushnet 17. Empagrans empire: international law and statutory interpretation in the US Supreme Court of the twenty-first century Ralf Michaels 18. The Supreme Court, the war on terror, and the American just war constitutional tradition David Golove.

International Law in the U.S. Supreme Court: CUSTOMARY INTERNATIONAL LAW AFTER 2000

Part I. From the Founding to the Civil War: 1. International law in the Supreme Court, 1789-1860 David L. Sloss, Michael D. Ramsey and William S. Dodge Part II. From the Civil War to the Turn of the Century: 2. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Duncan B. Hollis 3. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 David J. Bederman 4. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Thomas H. Lee and David L. Sloss 5. A social history of international law: historical commentary, 1861-1900 John Fabian Witt Part III. From the Turn of the Century to World War II: 6. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael P. Van Alstine 7. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael D. Ramsey 8. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Roger P. Alford 9. Varieties and complexities of doctrinal change: historical commentary, 1901-45 Edward A. Purcell, Jr Part IV. From World War II to the New Millenium: 10. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Paul B. Stephan 11. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 William S. Dodge 12. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Melissa A. Waters 13. Global power in an age of rights: historical commentary, 1946-2000 Martin S. Flaherty Part V. International Law in the US Supreme Court in the Twenty-First Century: 14. Medellin and Sanchez-Llamas: treaties from John Jay to John Roberts Lori F. Damrosch 15. Sosa and the derivation of customary international law John O. McGinnis 16. International law and constitutional interpretation in the twenty-first century: change and continuity Mark Tushnet 17. Empagrans empire: international law and statutory interpretation in the US Supreme Court of the twenty-first century Ralf Michaels 18. The Supreme Court, the war on terror, and the American just war constitutional tradition David Golove.

International Law in the U.S. Supreme Court: Contents

Part I. From the Founding to the Civil War: 1. International law in the Supreme Court, 1789-1860 David L. Sloss, Michael D. Ramsey and William S. Dodge Part II. From the Civil War to the Turn of the Century: 2. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Duncan B. Hollis 3. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 David J. Bederman 4. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1861-1900 Thomas H. Lee and David L. Sloss 5. A social history of international law: historical commentary, 1861-1900 John Fabian Witt Part III. From the Turn of the Century to World War II: 6. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael P. Van Alstine 7. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Michael D. Ramsey 8. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1901-45 Roger P. Alford 9. Varieties and complexities of doctrinal change: historical commentary, 1901-45 Edward A. Purcell, Jr Part IV. From World War II to the New Millenium: 10. Treaties in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Paul B. Stephan 11. Customary international law in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 William S. Dodge 12. International law as an interpretive tool in the Supreme Court, 1946-2000 Melissa A. Waters 13. Global power in an age of rights: historical commentary, 1946-2000 Martin S. Flaherty Part V. International Law in the US Supreme Court in the Twenty-First Century: 14. Medellin and Sanchez-Llamas: treaties from John Jay to John Roberts Lori F. Damrosch 15. Sosa and the derivation of customary international law John O. McGinnis 16. International law and constitutional interpretation in the twenty-first century: change and continuity Mark Tushnet 17. Empagrans empire: international law and statutory interpretation in the US Supreme Court of the twenty-first century Ralf Michaels 18. The Supreme Court, the war on terror, and the American just war constitutional tradition David Golove.

International Law in the U.S. Supreme Court: Continuity and Change over Two Centuries

From its earliest decisions in the 1790s, the U.S. Supreme Court has used international law to help resolve major legal controversies. This book presents a comprehensive account of the Supreme Court’s use of international law from the Court’s inception to the present day. Addressing treaties, the direct application of customary international law, and the use of international law as an interpretive tool, this book examines all the cases or lines of cases in which international law has played a material role, showing how the Court’s treatment of international law both changed and remained consistent over the period. Although there was substantial continuity in the Supreme Court’s international law doctrine through the end of the nineteenth century, the past century has been a time of tremendous doctrinal change. Few aspects of the Court’s international law doctrine remain the same in the twenty-first century as they were two hundred years ago.