Laura A. Dickinson: The Relationship Between Hybrid Courts and International Courts: The Case of Kosovo

In this essay, Laura A. Dickinson, Foundation Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Center for Law and Global Affairs at Sandra Day O’Conner College of Law, Arizona State University, assesses hybrid courts and their relationships with international courts. Using as an example the Kosovo hybrid court that heard cases involved war crimes, genocide and other mass atrocities committed primarily by Serbian forces, she addresses some of the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid courts. She also discusses ways in which hybrid courts might fit into the ICC’s complementary regime and argues that such courts should not be considered alternatives to international or local justice, but rather as complements to both.