International Law As Applied By International Courts And Tribunals General Principles 3rd Ed

In this book, Cheng aims to inquire into the practical application of the general principles of law by international courts and tribunals.

Article 38 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice defines "international law" to include not only "custom" and "convention" between States but also "the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations" within their municipal legal systems. In 1953, Bin Cheng wrote his seminal book on general principles, identifying core legal principles common to various domestic legal systems across the globe. This monograph summarizes and analyzes the general principles of law and norms of international due process, with a particular focus on developments since Cheng's writing. The aim is to collect and distill these principles and norms in a single volume as a practical resource for international law jurists, advocates, and scholars. The information contained in this book holds considerable importance given the growth of inter-state intercourse resulting in the increased use of general principles over the past 60 years. General principles can serve as rules of decision, whether in interpreting a treaty or contract, determining causation, or ascertaining unjust enrichment. They also include a core set of procedural requirements that should be followed in any adjudicative system, such as the right to impartiality and the prohibition on fraud. Although the general principles are, by definition, basic and even rudimentary, they hold vital importance for the rule of law in international relations. They are meant not to define a rule of law, but rather the rule of law.

When war is being waged, man is inclined to ask himself whether only force is governing the relations between States. War, it is argued, rests on a fact, not on law, and so the existence of international law, asa body of rules applicable to the relations between States or to the relations between States and international institutions, is called into question. Is international law-both the law of peace and of war-really based on general principles of law, such as domestic law, or is it but a conception of the spirit? The problem of the significance of general principles in international law has already been examined bi; many authors, especially in relation to article 38 {sect} 3 of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, which Court is to apply, apart from international conventions and custom, "the general principles of law recognized bij civilized nations." The purpose of this study was to construct a new method of inquiry into the general principles, upon which international law is based. International law is unwritten law. Its positive rules must be sought in treaty texts, diplomatic correspondence, or decisions of interna tional tribunals. The latter material will be especially used in this study, so as to avoid data of a rather political and subjective nature. Moreover, the international judge or arbitrator is mostly asked to 1 apply general rules of international law.