Application of Treaties in U.S. Courts: An Empirical Analysis

This program will summarize the results of an empirical study of treaty application by U.S. courts between 1970 and 2006. The study addresses judicial application of “uncontroversial” treaties, such as the Warsaw Convention and the New York Convention on Foreign Arbitral Awards, as well as “controversial” treaties, such as the Geneva Conventions and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The presentation will also provide historical context by comparing judicial application of treaties in the modern period to earlier historical periods. Given that treaty issues are now arising in litigation with increasing frequency, the program should be of general interest to judges and litigators.

Professor David Sloss -- Biography
Professor Sloss is an internationally renowned scholar who has published two books and numerous law review articles addressing the application of international law in domestic courts. His scholarship in this area is informed by a decade of experience in the federal government, where he helped draft and negotiate several major international treaties. Professor Sloss serves frequently as a consultant for U.S. attorneys who seek advice on the domestic application of international law in U.S. courts.

Prior to joining the Santa Clara Law faculty, Professor Sloss taught for nine years at Saint Louis University School of Law. Before Sloss started his teaching career, he worked as a litigation associate at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto and clerked for Senior Judge Joseph T. Sneed, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, San Francisco.

Affiliations and Honors

• Director, Nuclear Safeguards and Technology Division, U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, 1992-93
• Foreign Affairs Analyst, U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, 1984-91

Areas of Specialization

• International Law
• International Human Rights
• Treaties
• U.S. Foreign Relations Law
• Constitutional Law
• Federal Courts
• Capital Punishment
• Nuclear Proliferation

Courses Taught
Criminal Law
Introduction to International Law
Journal of International Law
U.S. Foreign Relations Law Seminar

If you intend to take a course for CLE credit, please make sure your state is listed in the "Accreditation" section to the upper right of the program description. Accreditation displayed is unique to the purchased program format (live conference, live webcast, on demand, podcast). Credit totals listed for live conferences are the maximum credits available. Credits issued will be based upon actual time in attendance.  Credit totals for other formats are for complete programs.  Partial credit is not available for any online or downloadable format. 

West LegalEdcenter will not provide accreditation for states not listed. 

This product is intended for individual use by the named purchaser. Group viewings for online programs may be arranged for five or more attorneys within the same organization prior to viewing by emailing west.wlec-sales@thomson.com.