Extraterritoriality in the commonwealth: Case studies from australia, new zealand and the united kingdom

Many common law countries are part of “The Commonwealth of Nations,” which is a voluntary association of 54 diverse countries. While each country has a unique history, constitution, and legal system, similarities exist between the legal systems of Commonwealth nations. This chapter examines the approach of four Commonwealth nations to extraterritoriality. In so doing, it makes general observations as to the ways in which the common law has influenced the practice of extraterritoriality in Commonwealth nations and how that can differ from the practice of civil law nations. The countries chosen for illustration of examples of Commonwealth and common law practice are Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.