Austrian court rules country must return Nazi-looted art News
Austrian court rules country must return Nazi-looted art

[JURIST] An Austrian arbitration court has ruled that the country must return $150 million in artwork to the heir of the family from whom the works were seized by the Nazis, bringing to a close a case that wound its way through both Austrian and US courts. Both parties agreed to abide by the ruling, issued Monday, a year and a half after the US Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report; opinion text] that Maria Altmann could sue Austria in US courts for possession of the artwork. The Supreme Court ruled that an exception in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 [text] applied to conduct prior to the Act's passage, opening the way for US citizens to sue foreign governments over looted property and war crimes. The controversy was prompted by a 1998 Austrian law that required museums to review their holdings for potentially looted property. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

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The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

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