Advanced Legal ResearchOctober 28, 2008

Marci HoffmanInternational & Foreign Law Librarian

mhoffman@law.berkeley.edu

OverviewDefinitions

Public International LawPrivate International LawForeign LawComparative Law

Sources of Law

Getting StartedFind a relevant research guide.Define basic concepts or terms, abbreviations or

acronyms.Locate secondary sources (journal articles, books,

reports).

Research GuidesIntroduction to International & Foreign Legal Rese

archASIL Guide to Electronic ResourcesGlobalexInternational Legal Research in a Nutshell (2008)

Abbreviations & AcronymsBieber's Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations World Dictionary of Legal AbbreviationsCardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations

Background InformationEncyclopedia of Public International Law

Now available onlineEncyclopedia of the United NationsParry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of

International Law

Secondary SourcesJournal articles

Legal journal indexes Index to Legal Periodicals (ILP) Legal Resource Index (LRI) (LegalTrac) Legal Journals Index (LJI) Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (IFLP)

Law-related journal indexes (PAIS, Social Science Index, EconLit)

Books LawCatWorldcat.org

OtherWorking Papers

Legal Scholarship NetworkBepress Legal RepositoryInternational Law and Justice Working Papers

Peace Palace LibraryCatalogueBibliographiesTable of Contents

International LawLocate international instruments (treaty or

agreement).Obtain IGO/NGO information (documents,

conference proceedings).Find decisions of international courts & tribunals.Locate relevant commentary and analysis.

Treaties & AgreementsWhat are treaties?Types

bilateralmultilateral

US is a party Non-US treaties

Researching TreatiesLocate

Text of the treaty or agreementStatus & ratification informationReservations or declarationsImplementing domestic legislationBackground documents or commentary

Researching Treaties and Agreements

Sources for TreatiesCountry treaty series (U.S.T.)IGO treaty series (U.N.T.S.)Official gazettes (Bundesgesetzblatt, Part II for Germany)Statutory compilations (Statutes at Large)Looseleaf services (ICSID‘s Investment Promotion and

Protection Treaties)Electronic sources (free and fee-based)Journal literature (I.L.M.)Other sources (books, IGO conference proceedings, etc.)

US Treaties & AgreementsTreaties, based on the Treaty Clause of the Constitution

2/3 vote in SenateBypasses Houseextradition, taxation, investment, commercial matters

Agreementsdefense matters, economic cooperation, agricultureCongressional-executive agreements

Simple majorities in Senate & HouseAgreements pursuant to treatiesSole executive agreements

Treaty IndexesU.S.

Treaties in Force Treaty Actions

United States Treaty IndexBilateral (non-U.S.) & Multilateral

Multilateral Treaty CalendarUnited Nations Cumulative Treaty IndexMultilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary Gene

ral

U.S. Treaty CollectionsTreaties and Other International Acts Series

(T.I.A.S.)United States Treaties and Other International Agre

ements (U.S.T.)

Senate Treaty Documents (S. Treaty Doc.)

U.S. Treaty CollectionsDept. of State

Treaty AffairsReporting International Agreements to CongressFOIA page

Senate TreatiesU.S. Senate Treaty DocumentsThomas

Other DatabasesHeinOnline: Treaties & Agreements LibraryTreaties & International Agreements LexisNexis and Westlaw

Other National Treaty CollectionsAustralian Treaties LibraryFrench Treaty DatabaseHong Kong Treaty ProjectPacific Island Treaty Series

Bilateral TreatiesOfficial gazettesCountry treaty series (U.K.T.S.)United Nations Treaty SeriesInternational yearbooks

Spanish Yearbook of International LawOther sources

Multilateral SourcesUnited Nations Treaty Series (U.N.T.S.)United Nations Treaty CollectionEuropean Treaty Series (ETS)OAS Treaties International Legal Materials (I.L.M)

Topical Treaty CollectionsHuman Rights LibraryInternational Law (UNHCHR)Intellectual Property (WIPO)Hague Conventions on Private International LawInternational Humanitarian Law (ICRC)Treaty Database (IATP)

Status & RatificationMultilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary

GeneralTreaties in Force and Treaty ActionsWebsites

SecretariatDepository

Journal articlesTreaty indexes

Reservations & DeclarationsReservation excludes or modifies the legal effect of

provisions. Declaration clarifies a State's position.Some treaties do not allow reservations.Sources

Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary GeneralWeb sites

Hague Conventions

Implementing LegislationNational legislation

New legislation DMCA implements two WIPO treaties

Existing legislationTreaty Secretariats

Chemical Weapons ConventionAnti-Bribery Convention

Other InformationBackground or intent

Negotiation documentsPreparatory or preliminary documentsLegislative history

Uruguay Round Agreements Act: A Legislative History of Public Law No. 103-465

See À la Recherche des Travaux PréparatoiresCommentary

Other InformationInterpretation

Decisions International courts & tribunals

European Court of Human Rights Domestic courts

i.lex Oxford Reports on International Law International Law Reports

Commentary & analysis Books & journal articles

CitationsThe BluebookGuide to Foreign and International Legal CitationFrequently-Cited Treaties and Other International

Instruments

International Law SitesElectronic Information System for International

LawForeign and International Law WebForeign and International Resources: An

Annotated Guide to Web Resources

Current StuffInternational Law in BriefILJ DigestBlogs

Opinio Juris IntLawGrrlswronging rightsInternational Law Reporter