Panel at Law Library of Congress speaks about cross-cultural issues in U.S. courts

In recognition of Law Day 2010, WFLS co-sponsored an important and highly relevant event presented by the Law Library of Congress about cross-cultural issues in U.S. courts.  Prominent panelists, moderated by GW Law Professor Jonathan Turley, discussed the growing number of cases in state and federal courts all across the country where parties are raising “the cultural defense” – invoking the customs and traditions of a diversity of cultural backgrounds to explain their actions. Even when these issues are not raised per se, culture plays a role in many cases – both civil and criminal.  In an engaging and highly-interactive presentation, audience members used hand-held technology to “vote” on the outcome of vignettes drawn from real cases and presented by  an inter-disciplinary panel of some of the nation’s leading cross-cultural experts.