Also known as: Vienna Conventions · VCLT · VCDR · Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
2 senses
A multilateral treaty that sets forth rules governing consular relations between states. It includes provisions requiring authorities to notify detained foreign nationals of their right to contact their home consulate.
A multilateral treaty that sets forth rules governing consular relations between states. It includes provisions requiring authorities to notify detained foreign nationals of their right to contact their home consulate.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
A self-executing treaty that supplies uniform substantive rules for contracts involving the international sale of goods between private parties in adopting states.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
A self-executing treaty that supplies uniform substantive rules for contracts involving the international sale of goods between private parties in adopting states.
Each sense below has its own examples, sources, and questions.
Viktor Voronin, a Mexican national, was convicted in state court without being informed of his right to contact the Mexican consulate. After an international ruling found a violation, the President issued a memorandum directing state courts to reopen the case. Because the treaty lacks implementing legislation, the memorandum has no domestic legal effect and the state court properly refuses to reopen the proceeding.
Viktor Voronin, a Mexican national, was arrested in Texas and not told he could contact his consulate. State officials later conceded the Vienna Convention violation. Because the treaty is non-self-executing, the state court refused to grant relief absent congressional implementation.
No. The treaty is non-self-executing. It therefore lacks domestic legal effect as supreme law absent implementing legislation from Congress.
Supporting sources
No. The President has no independent constitutional authority to give a non-self-executing treaty domestic effect by directing state compliance.
Supporting sources
It supplies substantive rules for contracts for the international sale of goods between private parties, excluding consumer sales and certain other transactions.
Supporting sources
Yes. The United States ratified it as a self-executing treaty that now applies directly in the courts of adopting states.
Supporting sources
…of the intersection of the travel restriction in Article 49 of its Minors Law 16,618 and the Convention. [^maj-4]: See Art. 32, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, May 23, 1969, 1155 U. N. T. S. 331, 340 (“Recourse may be had to supplementary means of interpretation . . . when the interpretation . . . (a) leaves the meaning ambiguous or obscure; or…