The Quill & Sword | NSL Unscripted | Episode 18 - A Discussion on “Secret Law” with Professor Dakota Rudesill of Ohio State Moritz College of Law

In this episode, LTC Dan Maurer sits down with Dakota Rudesill, Associate Professor of Law at Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law. During this episode, Professor Rudesill discusses his in-depth study of “secret law,” from classified executive branch policy and pseudo-binding opinions by the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel in times of armed conflict to the proliferation of classified statutes and their annexes since the 1970s. Wide-ranging, the conversation touches on the historical prevalence of secret law, reasons for its growth, how courts address it, how to reconcile it with democratic norms, and his recommendations for responsible reform. NSL Practitioners interested in reviewing resources and scholarship produced by ADN should check out the Operational Law Handbook and LOAC Documentary Supplement and other significant military legal resources available at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School website under publications. Connect with The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School by visiting our website at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/ or on Facebook (tjaglcs), Instagram (tjaglcs), or LinkedIn (school/tjaglcs).