On Wednesday, June 15, students from the Strategic Implications of Human Rights and the Rule of Law course visited the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington, DC. Over the course of two hours, lawyers and members of the staff provided the students with detailed brief about the Commission’s case petitions, admissibility, precautionary measures, case load, and distinctions between responsibilities of the Commission (in Washington, DC) and the Court (in San José, Costa Rica). The speakers provided ample time for Q&A and the students responded with a flurry of questions that demonstrated an impressive level of expertise.

Of particular interest was the backload of cases and the financial crisis that may lead to a layoff of 40% of the Commission’s staff within the next month.