On March 15, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments from the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the United States in the Marshall Islands’ nuclear disarmament lawsuit.

The RMI filed suit in 2014 against the United States for breaches of Article VI of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which requires good faith negotiations for an end to the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament.

Oral arguments before the three-judge panel centered around the United States’ preliminary objections, as opposed to the merits of the case. A ruling by the Ninth Circuit is expected in the coming months.

 

Ninth Circuit Hesitant to Get Into Nuclear Disarmament

HELEN CHRISTOPHI March 17, 2017

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — An attorney for the Marshall Islands told a skeptical Ninth Circuit panel this week that the federal government must comply with its international treaty obligations to eliminate nuclear weapons around the world.

Though the appellate panel did not indicate at the Wednesday hearing how it would rule, it pummeled counsel for the Marshall Islands while lobbing softball questions to a Department of Justice attorney.

https://www.courthousenews.com/ninth-circuit-hesitant-get-nuclear-disarmament/