International Law

International law is the body of rules and agreements that govern relations between countries, including how they resolve disputes, use force, and treat people who cross borders. The United States participates in this system through treaties it has signed, customary practices recognized by nations generally, and its own courts and agencies, which sometimes interpret international obligations differently than other governments do.

Resolving disputes between nations. When states accuse each other of wrongdoing, or when individuals face charges that cross borders, specialized bodies and legal processes come into play. International Courts handles questions about how international criminal justice actually works, including who has authority to prosecute violations that no single country can address alone.

Control over water and territory. Countries claim different amounts of authority over the oceans near their coasts, and those claims affect fishing rights, military movement, and resource extraction. Law of the Sea explains how these maritime zones are defined and enforced, and how the rules apply to the waters surrounding the United States.

Moving people and cases across borders. When someone accused of a crime in one country is found in another, whether they can be sent back depends on agreements between the two governments and on domestic legal protections. Extradition covers how these arrangements work, what happens when no treaty exists, and how U.S. courts handle cases involving foreign nationals or foreign conduct.

How rules apply during conflict. Even armed conflict operates under a body of agreed limits on how force may be used and who may be targeted. The Laws of War: How the US Follows (and Doesn’t Follow) International Rules looks at how these standards shape U.S. military conduct and where debate persists over compliance.