Along with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights serves as the main watchdog for the promotion and protection of fundamental rights in the Americas. Drawing on the case law of the Court, this volume analyses crucial developments over the years on both procedural and substantive issues before the Inter-American Court. The book discusses access to legal aid, third party interventions, positive obligations and provisional measures, the evaluation of evidence and the use of external referencing by the Court, the protection of vulnerable groups, including indigenous peoples, migrants, women and children. It also explores other contemporary issues such as coerced statements, medical negligence, the use of force, amnesties, forced disappearances, the right to water, judicial protection in times of emergency, the relation of the Inter-American Court with national courts and with other international jurisdictions like the European Court of Human Rights and the International Criminal Court, and with national courts, reparations and revisions of cases by the Inter-American Court, and present-day challenges to the Inter-American system of human rights. Due to its multifaceted and comprehensive character, this scholarly volume is an essential reference work for both legal scholars and practitioners working with regional human rights systems in general and with the Inter-American human rights system in particular.

Contributions by: Marijke De Pauw, Alvaro Paul Diaz, Geneviève Säuberli, Leo Zwaak, Diana Contreras Garduno, Kristin Xuenqin-Wu, Francisco J. Rivera Juaristi, Oswaldo Ruiz-Chiriboga, Kresimir Kamber, Juana Maria Ibanez Rivas, Aziz Tuffi Saliba, Tania Garcia Maia, Scott McKenzie, Thomas Antkowiak, Manuel Ventura Robles, Gina Donoso, Agostina N. Cichero, Sebastian A. Green Martinez, Clara Burbano Herrera, Gabriella Citroni, Jeffrey Davis, Micaela Perez Ferrero, Frédéric Mégret, Jean-Paul S. Calderon, Patricio Galella, Nikolas Kyriakou, Monica Yriart, Julie Fraser, Valeska David, Salvatore Nicolosi, Elena Falletti, Ciara O'Connell, Laurence Burgorgue-Larsen, Eric Tardif, Paola Andrea Acosta Alvarado, Rosmerlin Estupinan-Silva, Cristiana Maria Dominguez, Martin Nicolas Montoya Céspedes, Claudia Martin, Diego Rodriguez-Pinzón