Reevaluating Regional Human Rights Litigation in the Twenty-First Century: The Case of the Inter-American Court

The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 102, p. 768, 2008

Harvard Public Law Working Paper No. 09-31

61 Pages Posted: 5 Jun 2009 Last revised: 28 Aug 2009

See all articles by James L. Cavallaro

James L. Cavallaro

University Network for Human Rights; Wesleyan University

Stephanie E Brewer

Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center

Date Written: October 1, 2008

Abstract

This article addresses the radical transformation over the past two decades of the political landscapes over which regional human rights courts exercise jurisdiction. Considering briefly the European Court of Human Rights, but focusing primarily on its Inter-American counterpart, the article posits several hypotheses concerning the means of maximizing courts’ effectiveness in today’s political context. The article recommends that the Inter-American Court: 1) consider intensifying its use of live fact-finding; 2) ensure that state recognitions of responsibility do not allow governments to manipulate Court proceedings; and 3) issue grounded jurisprudence that is maximally relevant to domestic human rights conditions.

Keywords: Inter-American, human rights litigation, supranational tribunals, fact-finding, jurisprudence, European Court of Human Rights, witness testimony, allanamientos

Suggested Citation

Cavallaro, James Louis and Brewer, Stephanie E, Reevaluating Regional Human Rights Litigation in the Twenty-First Century: The Case of the Inter-American Court (October 1, 2008). The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 102, p. 768, 2008, Harvard Public Law Working Paper No. 09-31, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1404608

James Louis Cavallaro (Contact Author)

University Network for Human Rights ( email )

Horgan House
77 Pearl Street
Middletown, CT Connecticut 06457
United States
6176698606 (Phone)

Wesleyan University ( email )

Middletown, CT 06459
United States
06457 (Fax)

Stephanie E Brewer

Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center ( email )

Mexico

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
536
Abstract Views
2,975
Rank
90,434
PlumX Metrics