Thegravityofacrimeorcasefeaturesinvariousinternationalandnationallegalframeworksfortheinvestigationandprosecutionofinternationalcrimes.AttheInternationalCriminalCourt(ICC),’sufficientgravity’isarequirementfortheadmissibilityofacasespecifiedinArticle17(1)(d)oftheRomeStatute.Theopen-texturednatureoftheprovisionleavesthemannerofitsapplicationand,ultimately,itspurposeinthecontextoftheProsecutor’sdecisionswhethertoinvestigateandprosecute,opentodiscussion.SetagainstthebackdropofongoingdebatesonhowtojustifyselectiveinvestigationsandprosecutionsattheCourt,GravityattheInternationalCriminalCourt:AdmissibilityandProsecutorialDiscretionaddressesthequestionofhowthegravitycriterionistobeappliedinthecontextoftheProsecutor’srespectivedecisionswhethertoinvestigateandprosecute.Itarguesthatthepurposeofthegravitycriterioninthiscontextistheallocationofinvestigativeandprosecutorialresources.First,identifyingappropriateindicatorsofgravity,thebookcontendsthattheapplicationofArticle17(1)(d)requiresasubjectiveassessmentthatinvolvestheexerciseofdiscretion.Second,byclarifyingtherespectiverolesoftheProsecutorandthePre-TrialChambersoftheCourtintheassessmentofgravityindifferentcontexts,itarguesinfavourofwideprosecutorialdiscretioninthemakingofthisassessmentcomparedwiththelimitedpowersofjudicialoversightconferredonthePre-TrialChamber.Timelyandthorough,GravityattheInternationalCriminalCourtproposesamorecoherentandpersuasiveapplicationofthecriterion,contextualizingandcomparingtheICC’sapproachinrelationtoothercourtsandbodiesoflawincludinginternationalhumanrightslaw,internationalinvestmentlaw,andinternationaltradelaw.
