Criminal Law Library Blog

Introduction

Territorial search and seizure lies at the intersection of constitutional law, international law, and foreign relations. While domestic legal systems generally define clear rules governing when and how governments may search persons, property, or data, those rules become more complex, and often contested, when enforcement activities cross national borders. In an era marked by transnational crime, cyber intrusion, terrorism, and global data flows, the traditional notion that a state’s law enforcement authority stops at its borders has been steadily eroded, even as the principle of territorial sovereignty remains central to international law.

This post examines territorial search and seizure as it relates to international affairs, focusing on the tension between state sovereignty, constitutional protections, and the practical demands of global security and law enforcement.