Challenging Human Rights Violations: Using International Law in U.S. Courts

This book guides civil rights lawyers – and informs judges, legislators, and academics – in the effective use of international law in US federal and state cases. ‘Soft law’ standards are scrupulously avoided. The author highlights many concrete areas in which international law can enhance human rights protection both in the US and abroad, such as: Death penalty; Lethal force by police and military authorities; Extraterritorial privacy protection; Gay and lesbian rights; Government liability for foreseeable harm; Compensation for unintentional false imprisonment. This eminently practical approach which is based on model briefs developed for and used by leading US civil rights lawyers and organisations – presents an extremely rare treatment of international human rights law. For both theorists and practitioners, this book’s refreshing treatment anticipates many new issues that will arise as international human rights law practice becomes recognised as an advantageous approach to protecting US civil liberties and rights.