This Conference will address the potential impact of judicial dialogues on the application and development of international law. Leading experts will address such questions as the role of judicial dialogues in treaty interpretation, the formation of customary law, and the role of counsel and judges. The relevance of the Conference stems from the fact that courts faced with questions of international law often look at how their colleagues in other states and/or at the international level have addressed similar questions. The search for solutions that carry transnational support can be particularly valuable in cases that are politically charged or otherwise controversial. Court-to-court dialogue may strengthen judicial credibility, the quality of judicial decisions and perhaps also the coherence of international law. Yet, not much is known on the effect and significance that judicial dialogues harbour for the application and development of international law in terms of, for instance, judicial decision-making, treaty interpretation and the formation of customary law. At the Conference, authoritative international lawyers (including judges from international courts and members of the International Law Commission) and young scholars will address the possible swing-back effect of judicial dialogues on the international legal order.

For more details about the conference, please visit www.acil.uva.nl.