Legal Definition and Related Resources of Ambassador
Meaning of Ambassador
In international law. A public minister sent abroad by some sovereign state or prince, with a legal commission and authority to transact business on behalf of his country with the government to which he is sent. Ambassadors extraordinary are those employed on particular or extraordinary occasions, or residing at a foreign court for an indeterminate period. Vattel, lib. 4, c. 6, §§ 70-79. Ambassadors ordinary are those sent on permanent missions. An ambassador is a minister of the highest rank. The United States were formerly represented by ministers plenipotentiary, sending no person of the rank of an ambassador, in the diplomatic sense. 1 Kent, Comm. 39, note. Ambassadors are now sent by the United States to Japan and the principal nations of Europe and South America.
What does Ambassador mean in American Law?
The definition of Ambassador in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:
Once defined (by one taking advantage of the now archaic meaning of “lie” as “to reside temporarily”) as “A person sent to lie abroad for his country.” Ordinarily the highest ranking representative of one sovereign state to another, employed to treat with the other about, and generally oversee, the interests of his sovereign with the other. Most ambassadors are quasi-permanently in residence in another nation, usually in its capital city, but there are ambassadors to international jural entities which are not nations (e.g., Ambassador to the United Nations), and even today (it was once common), an “ambassador extraordinary,” i.e., a special ambassador sent to
do a particular job, e.g., negotiate a treaty, may occasionally be appointed. Every ambassador (and every lower ranking diplomatic officer, e.g., consul, minister) has, under international law, diplomatic immunity. The U.S. Constitution twice refers to “Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls,” once (Article II, § 2) to provide for their appointment by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, and again (Article III, § 2), to extend the judicial power of the United States to all cases affecting them.
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You might be interested in these references tools:
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| Ambassador in the Dictionary | Ambassador in our legal dictionaries | Browse the Legal Thesaurus | Find synonyms and related words of Ambassador |
| Legal Maxims | Maxims are established principles that jurists use as interpretive tools, invoked more frequently in international law |
| Legal Answers (Q&A) | A community-driven knowledge creation process, of enduring value to a broad audience |
| Related topics | Ambassador in the World Encyclopedia of Law |
Notice
This definition of Ambassador Is based on the The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary . This entry needs to be proofread.
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| Sitemap Index | Sitemap Index, including Taxonomies |
| https://legaldictionary.lawin.org/ambassador/ | The URI of Ambassador (more about URIs) |
Ambassador in the Dictionary of Law consisting of Judicial Definitions and Explanations of Words, Phrases and Maxims
See Minister, 3.
Note: This legal definition of Ambassador in the Dictionary of Law (English and American Jurisprudence) is from 1893.
Ambassador in Diplomatic Law
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
The chief of a diplomatic mission; the ranking official diplomatic representative of his country to the country to which he is accredited, and the personal representative of his own head of state to the head of state of the host country. The term “extraordinary” has no real meaning. Years ago it was given only to nonresident ambassadors on temporary missions and was used to distinguish them from regular resident ambassadors. The latter resented others having this appellation, as it seemed to imply a lesser position for themselves. Eventually therefore, it was accorded to them as well. “Plenipotentiary” also comes down through the years. Today it simply means possessed of full power to do an ambassador’s normal job. Ambassador is capitalized when referring to a specific person (i.e. Ambassador Smith).
Resources
See Also
- Minister
Resources
See Also
Further Reading
- Satow’s Diplomatic Practice, Ivor Roberts
- Modern Diplomacy, R.P. Barnston
The highest rank of diplomatic agent.
An ambassador is a diplomatic official sent abroad by some sovereign country or state or ruler, with a legal commission and authority to transact business on behalf of his country.
The highest rank of diplomatic agent.
An ambassador is a diplomatic official sent abroad by some sovereign state or ruler, with a legal commission and authority to transact business on behalf of his country.
Notion of Ambassador
The meaning of Ambassador may be as follows: The highest official diplomatic representative of the U.S. government to a foreign nation. The ambassador lives and works in that nation and represents U.S. interests (as an agent of the U.S. Department of State).
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