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FALQs: Physician-Assisted Suicide in Canada

Posted by: Ruth Levush

The following is a guest post by Tariq Ahmad, a legal analyst in the Global Legal Research Center of the Law Library of Congress. Tariq has previously blogged about Islamic Law in Pakistan – Global Legal Collection Highlights, the Law Library’s 2013 Panel Discussion on Islamic Law, and Sedition Law in India. This post follows my …

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FALQs: Israel’s Upcoming 2015 General Elections

Posted by: Ruth Levush

Israel’s next general election is scheduled for March 17, 2015, just a little over two years since the prior election that took place on January 22, 2013. According to Basic Law: the Knesset, elections to the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) are supposed to take place every four years. However, the Knesset can decide to dissolve itself …

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FALQs: Soviet Investigation of Nazi War Crimes

Posted by: Ruth Levush

The following is a guest post by the Director of the Global Legal Research Center Peter Roudik. Peter is a frequent contributor to In Custodia Legis. He has written a number of posts, including on “Ukraine: Two Understandings of Lustration,” “Crimean History, Status, and Referendum,” “Regulating the Winter Olympics in Russia,” “Soviet Law and the Assassination …

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Euthanasia under Israeli Law

Posted by: Ruth Levush

For some time now, I have been interested in the subject of medical ethics. With the development of science and technology, it is now possible to create life where it was once impossible. We are certainly capable of extending life.  And to me, most importantly, is our ability to improve quality of life. These amazing achievements often raise complex, ethical dilemmas that reflect and …

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Sentencing of Parents who Kill Children in Japan

Posted by: Ruth Levush

The following is a guest post by Sayuri Umeda, a senior foreign law specialist at the Law Library of Congress.  Sayuri has previously written blog posts on “Cambodian Law – Global Legal Collection Highlights“; “English Translations of Post-Second World War South Korean Laws“; “Laws and Regulations Passed in the Aftermath of the Great East Japan …

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Recent Law Library of Congress Report on National Funding of Road Infrastructure

Posted by: Ruth Levush

According to a June 2014 report by the United States Congressional Budget Office (CBO), most of the annual spending by the federal government on surface transportation programs is in the form of grants to state and local governments. These grants are primarily financed through the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF). After decades of stable balances to …

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Israeli Conscription laws for Ultra-Orthodox Jews

Posted by: Ruth Levush

Two demonstrations took place last month, one in Jerusalem, and the other in New York’s financial district. Both were organized and attended by haredi (ultra-orthodox Jews; literally means “those who fear [God]”) who protested against the adoption of new legislation by the Knesset (Israel’s parliament). The legislation imposed conscription requirements on haredi yeshiva students in Israel. …

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Report on the Adjudication of Sexual Offenses in Foreign Military Justice Systems

Posted by: Ruth Levush

The handling and adjudication of sexual offenses in the military have drawn much public and Congressional interest in recent months following the disclosure of several high profile cases involving allegations of sexual assault by U.S. service members.  Several proposals for reforming the way such allegations are handled within the U.S. military justice system have been …