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Category: Global Law

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An Interview with Joanne Baxter, Legal Editor

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

This week’s interview is with Joanne Baxter, who is working at the Law Library of Congress as a legal editor. 1. Describe your background. I was born in Panama and lived there until I was ten years old, after which my family moved to South Florida, where I remained until I relocated to Washington, D.C. in 2010. …

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150-Year Anniversary of the Adoption of the Constitution of the North German Confederation

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

The North German Confederation (Norddeutscher Bund) is generally considered the first modern German Federation. Before that time, there were 39 different sovereign states, varying in size, that were loosely associated in the German Confederation (Deutscher Bund). The North German Federation came into existence with the adoption of the Constitution of the North German Confederation by the German Reichstag …

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(Extramarital) Love and Taxes

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

Tax season is upon us, and most people will not start filing their tax return until the very last moment. Statistics show that the majority of people file in April or even the week of April 15, the usual filing deadline. Sound familiar? In such a case, it helps to be organized and have all …

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Many Adoptions in Japan are Not About Raising Children

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

This post is by Sayuri Umeda, a foreign law specialist who covers Japan and various other East Asian and Southeast Asian countries. She has previously written posts for In Custodia Legis on various topics, including testing of older drivers in Japan, English translations of post-World War II South Korean laws, laws and regulations passed in the aftermath …

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The Saudi Arabian 2012 Arbitration Law

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

The following is a guest post by Abdalrahman Alangari, a student from Saudi Arabia who was a foreign law intern at the Law Library of Congress for a few months in late 2016. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest economy among the Gulf countries. Developments in the Kingdom in recent years have transformed it into a new regional and global hub for …

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60-Year Anniversary of the Rome Treaties

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

On March 25, 1957 – 60 years ago tomorrow – the governments of France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed the “Treaties of Rome”, thereby establishing what would later become the European Union (EU). The “Treaties of Rome” consist of two different treaties: the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC Treaty) and the Treaty establishing the European …

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Elor Azaria and Alexander Blackman: Adjudication of Unlawful Military Shootings

Posted by: Ruth Levush

What impact do prolonged periods of stress and fear have on a soldier’s behavior? Do the horrors of war and terrorist acts justify conduct that would otherwise be unlawful? While such circumstances do not seem to amount to justification for violating the law, it is notable that “exceptional stressors” and constant threats faced by soldiers were recently considered …

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The Masquerade King and the Regulation of Dancing in Sweden

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

The following is a guest post by Elin Hofverberg, a foreign law research consultant who covers Scandinavian countries. Elin has previously written for In Custodia Legis on diverse topics, including Alfred Nobel’s Will: A Legal Document that Might Have Changed the World and a Man’s Legacy, Researching Norwegian Law Online and in the Library, the Swedish Detention Order Regarding Julian …

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190th Anniversary of the Constitution of the Free State of Coahuila and Texas

Posted by: Francisco Macías

The following is a joint collaboration with Janice Hyde, Assistant Law Librarian for Collections. March is a very important month for Texas.  March is Texas History Month!  Every year, on March 2, Texas celebrates the anniversary of its independence. And it’s no surprise that this anniversary aligns with the festivities set out for Texas Public …