| |  Office of the Legal AdviserThe Office of the Legal Adviser, headed by John B. Bellinger III, furnishes advice on all legal issues, domestic and international, arising in the course of the Department's work. This includes assisting Department principals and policy officers in formulating and implementing the foreign policies of the United States, and promoting the development of international law and its institutions as a fundamental element of those policies.
The Office is organized to provide direct legal support to the Department of State's various bureaus, including both regional and geographic offices (those which focus on specific areas of the world) and functional offices (those which deal with specific subject matters such as economics and business, international environmental and scientific issues, or internal management).
For more about the duties, structure and careers of the Office of the Legal Adviser see:
-- Practicing Law in the Office of the Legal Adviser
| | | Highlights | Update on Detainee Issues and Military Commissions Legislation
Legal Advisor Bellinger (Sept. 7): "We are very anxious to try those individuals who we think have committed crimes. We are convinced particularly with this new legislation that we have military commissions that are full, that are fair.... I think the crimes committed by these individuals on September 11th or afterwards are not things that are tryable by any of our international tribunals right now." full text
For information on the procedure, history and judgments of the various international judicial organizations, click here. |
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