As all manner of commerce becomes increasingly global, states must establish laws to protect property rights, human rights, and national security. In many cases, states delegate authority to resolve disputes regarding these laws to an independent court, whose power depends upon its ability to enforce its rulings. Examining detailed case studies of the International Court of Justice and the transition from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to the World Trade Organization, Leslie Johns finds that a court’s design has nuanced and mixed effects on international cooperation. A strong court is ideal when laws are precise and the court is nested within a political structure like the European Union. Strong courts encourage litigation but make states more likely to comply with agreements when compliance is easy and withdraw from agreements when it is difficult. A weak court is optimal when law is imprecise and states can easily exit agreements with minimal political or economic repercussions. Johns concludes the book with recommendations for promoting cooperation by creating more precise international laws and increasing both delegation and obligation to international courts.

An investigation of the ways in which the strength of international courts affects dispute settlement, compliance, and the stability of the international economic and political system

International criminal law is experiencing a time of uncertainty and flux. There is increasing doubt surrounding where the international criminal justice project is heading. The contributions in this multi-disciplinary volume take stock of the situation and explore ways in which the validity of international criminal tribunals can be strengthened as the field of international criminal justice moves into a more uncertain future. Areas considered include: shaping the aims and aspirations of international criminal tribunals; increasing the effectiveness and legality of substantive international criminal law; improving certain processes and procedures of international criminal tribunals; improving relationships between international criminal tribunals and other organisations; and building trust between international criminal tribunals and African states.

A theory of international courts that assumes member states can ignore international agreements and adverse rulings, and that the court does not have informational advantages.

"The effective implementation of treaties is essential. This book examines the advantages of non-compliance mechanisms (NCMs) versus that of international courts and tribunals to support treaty fulfilment. It brings together globally-recognised names in international law, human rights law, environmental and climate change law, and trade law"--

Identifies the major weaknesses in the current United Nations system and proposes fundamental reforms to address each. This title is also available as Open Access.

The rule of law is widely seen as the cornerstone of any effective polity and increasingly a vital component of the international political system. If the international rule of law were to be strengthened, it would greatly contribute to trade, security, human rights and global cooperation in a range of fields. Yet, in many areas the rule of law seems almost absent in international affairs. This book explores the institutions that support the effectiveness of the rule of law domestically. It focuses on the extent to which similar institutions already exist at international level and analyses the possibility of their further development. The authors speculate on how the international rule of law might be advanced in the future, thereby suggesting potential strategies for strengthening the international rule of law. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach and combining the fields of international relations, politics and law, this book covers a range institutions including: UN Security Council International Court of Justice Human rights machinery Regional human rights International Criminal Court World Trade Organization International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. It will be of strong interest to students and scholars of international relations, international organisations, global governance, international law, migration law, international peace and security law, applied ethics, political economy, political science and sociology.