International Law Contents

International Law

International law include, among other, the following:

• Public international law – The law concerning the structure and the actions of nation-states and international organizations. See more information about this topic in the worldwide encyclopedia of law.
• Private international law – The law governing private transactions and disputes between parties from differing nations. Generally, this body of law is used to determine which law to apply when there is a conflict between the domestic laws of the parties. See more information about this topic in the worldwide encyclopedia of law.
• Universal jurisdiction – A principle in international law whereby a state can claim criminal jurisdiction over a person regardless of traditional jurisdictional bounds such as the territory in which the crime allegedly took place, the nationality of the defendant, etc. Universal jurisdiction can be claimed when the crime committed is considered a crime against the world community as a whole. See more information about this topic in the worldwide encyclopedia of law.
• Maritime Law – Also referred to as admiralty law, the body of law that governs both domestic maritime activities and private international law matters related to ocean vessels. Laws surrounding navigation, shipping, sailors and passengers, and maritime activities that take place on land, would all fall under this rubric. Maritime law must be distinguished from the Law of the Sea, which is a body of public international law that governs relationships between states on such topics as navigational/mineral rights and jurisdiction over coastal waters. See more information about this topic in the worldwide encyclopedia of law.
• Supranational law – The body of law that limits the rights of nations between one another. Nations submit their rights to make certain decisions to supranational institutions. See more information about this topic in the worldwide encyclopedia of law.