Trail Smelter Arbitration (United States v. Canada)

Special Arbitral Tribunal

3 U.N. Rep. Int'l Arb. Awards 1905 (1941)

Relevant factsFree

A Canadian corporation's smelter plant emitted noxious fumes from 1925 to 1937 that caused damage across the border in Washington State, prompting the United States (plaintiff) to seek injunctive relief, declaratory relief, and damages from Canada (defendant) before a Special Arbitral Tribunal.

IssueFree

Whether a state owes at all times a duty to protect other states against injurious acts by individuals within its jurisdiction.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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