MJIL Blog

Daisy Geng Who actually “owns” the Moon, asteroids, or even a plot on Mars? The idea of claiming space territory may sound like science fiction, but it’s becoming a very real challenge in international law. Today, the private sector is leading the charge, with companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and emerging asteroid mining firms eyeing […]

Vol. 34 Staff Member, Minnesota Journal of International Law The 2024 arrest of the current leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, along with one of the Juaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s sons has undeniably stirred up a hornet’s nest in northwestern Mexico. El Chapo, the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel who was

Stephanie Buersmeyer Background Gymnastics is one of the marquee events of the Olympic Games. Unfortunately, in Paris, the meet ended in controversy as the final event, the Women’s Floor Exercise Final, has been embroiled in legal disputes over the bronze medal. Jordan Chiles of USA Gymnastics (‘USAG’) competed last and, at the time, Romanian Ana

Mlada Simper Theft, forgery, and money laundering – the art market has a surprising dark side. Debate rages on about how prevalent or profitable the underground art market truly is, but the Organized Crime Group of the UK Metropolitan Police and Interpol estimate that the art black market generates at least $6 billion annually.[1] The

Alec Casey The presence of mercenaries in modern conflicts has garnered media attention. From Blackwater in Iraq to the Wagner Group in Ukraine, mercenaries have become a ubiquitous presence in 21st century conflicts.[1] This raises important questions—What does international law have to say about mercenaries? Have state actors and other entities actually respected the law

Noah Richardson In 1927, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, wrote the opinion in Buck v. Bell that upheld Virginia’s forced sterilization law.[1] The statute, one of several that had been passed in states across the country, was part of a larger movement aimed at eradicating undesirable traits from

Emily Seitz The European Union (“EU”) presented the European Green Deal in December of 2019.[1] The European Green Deal consists of various policy instruments that will be used with the goal of creating a more sustainable European economy in areas like energy, agriculture, and industry.[2] The hope for the European Green Deal is to make

Laura Reyes, University of Minnesota Law Volume 34 Editor-in-Chief “We can arrest anyone we want,” a Salvadoran law enforcement officer remarked to a mother after detaining her son.[1] As of February 2024, more than 76,000 people—nearly two percent of the Salvadoran population—have been detained, imprisoned under inhumane conditions,[2] and are awaiting trial in El Salvador.

Tracking International Tax Avoiders, Brooke Meister Tax season is coming up for US based taxpayers and while the subject of tax is often the pinnacle of boredom for many, it is of vital importance to nearly every important topic that individuals and governments of all levels interact with. While tax itself can be a snooze,

The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which escalated with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the recent invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has raised significant questions about the effectiveness and enforceability of international law. This blog post will examine the legal issues surrounding the conflict and their implications for the international legal system.