Establishing and strengthening the rule of law in the Americas, not only in nations in transition from authoritarian regimes, but even in long-established democracies is today under severe challenges.

In Latin America rising tides of violent crime, combined with traditional popular distrust of both the courts and the police is an ongoing issue. The effort to promote justice for long abused indigenous peoples and other minorities adds to the problem. In the United States the heritage of the Bush administration in its efforts to expand presidential powers and in its policies regarding those suspected of terrorism is undergoing major review.

To discuss these and related issues we have assembled a distinguished group of practitioners and scholars for this conference on "The Rule of Law in the Americas: Problems and Prospects" on March 25th 2009.

Program

13.00 Welcome

13.15 - 15.00 Part I: The Rule of Law in the Americas

Break

15.30 - 17.00 Part II: Obstacles to the Rule of Law in the Americas

End of seminar

The opening address on "The Rule of Law in Latin America" will be given by Dra Luz Nagle, a former judge in Colombia who now teaches at Stetson Law School in Florida. She will be followed by Judge Richard Goldenhersh of the Illinois Court of Appeals. Judge Goldenhersh presided over the longest trial in United States history and has been President of the Illinois Judges Association. He is also on the Executive Board of the Council on Foreign Relations, St. Louis Committee.

The final session will feature Ambassador Ambler Moss, former US Ambassador to Panama and Professor at the University of Miami, and Dr. Richard Millett, the 2007-2008 Fulbright Professor at CBS and coeditor of the 2009 publication "Latin American Democracy: Emerging Reality or Endangered Species." They will discuss obstacles to the Rule of Law in the Americas and Dr. Nagle and Judge Goldenhersh will respond to their remarks.

NB: If you wish to participate in the event, please send an email to mb.iadh@cbs.dk no later than March 23rd. There is no registration fee.

Speakers

Dra Luz Nagle is a Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law, where she teaches international criminal law, international law, and Latin American business law. From 1983 to 1986 she served as a judge in Medellín, Colombia, until assassination attempts and continued death threats compelled her to relocate to the United States. Professor Nagle's work concentrates on international criminal enterprises, terrorism, counter-insurgency, justicial reform, and national security law and U.S. foreign policy in Iberoamerica, and her writings and presentations probe the realities of the rule of law from a critical perspective that reflects her training and experience in both the Anglo-American and continental law systems.
Professor Nagle holds a Juris Doctor degree from the College of William & Mary, a Master of Arts in Latin American studies and a Master of Laws in international and comparative law from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a Doctor of Laws from the Universidad Pontificía Bolivariana in Colombia.

Richard P. Goldenhersh is an Appellate Judge in Fifth District.
He attended Washington University, receiving his A.B. degree in 1966 and his J.D. degree in 1969. After seven years in private practice, Judge Goldenhersh was appointed an Associate Judge of the 20th Judicial Circuit in 1975 and became a Circuit Judge in 1982. He served as Circuit Judge until joining the Appellate Court in 1988.
He is a member of the St. Clair County and Illinois State Bar Associations and former President of the Illinois Judges' Association. Judge Goldenhersh is a member, and former chair of the ISBA Section Council on Civil Practice and Procedure, and former chairperson of the Associate Judge Coordinating Committee. Furthermore, Judge Goldenhersh was a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Complex Litigation.

Ambassador Ambler H. Moss, Jr. is presently Professor of International Studies at the University of Miami. He is of counsel to the law firm of Greenberg Traurig in Miami. He was the founding Dean of the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Miami from 1984 to 1994; he was Director of the Dante B. Fascell North-South Center from 1984-2004. From 1977 to 1978 he was involved with the negotiation of the US-Panama Canal Treaties and their ratification, and was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations. He served as Ambassador to Panama from 1978 until 1982, having been appointed successively by Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. He also served as a member of the US-Panama Consultative Committee from 1978-1982 and from 1995-2001. Previously, as a member of the career Foreign Service, he served in Spain, in the US Delegation to the Organization of American States, and as Spanish Desk Officer in the Department of State.

He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (New York), Royal Institute of International Affairs (London), International Institute of Strategic Studies (London) and Inter-American Dialogue (Washington).
He has written numerous articles and has spoken on subjects relating to Inter-American affairs and has taught courses at the University of Miami on Major Issues in US–Latin American Relations, Analysis of US Foreign Policy, the United Nations, and Diplomatic Negotiation.

Dr Richard L. Millett received his AB from Harvard College, MA and PhD from the University of New Mexico and is a graduate of the Air War College
He is Professor Emeritus of History at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Dr. Millett is a member of the Executive Council of the American Committees on Foreign Relations, and Senior Advisor for Latin America to Political Risk Services. He has appeared on every major national TV network, testified before Congress on 19 occasions, and participated in election supervision in four nations. He has taught at the University of Miami, St. Louis University, the U.S. Air Force War College, and the U.S. Marine Corps University.

Dr. Millett has published over 100 items in Foreign Policy, The Wilson Quarterly, Current History, the New Republic, and numerous other professional journals. His is also the author of Beyond Praetorianism: The Latin American Military in Transition and most recently coeditor of the 2009 publication "Latin American Democracy: Emerging Reality or Endangered Species.

Dr Millett was Fulbright Professor at Center for the Study of the Americas , CBS in 2007-2008.