Forum
U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status
Resolved
Docket Number
10-1491
Term
2011 Term
Oral Argument Date
February 28, 2012
Lower Court Opinion
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Questions Presented
1. Whether the issue of corporate civil tort liability under the Alien Tort Statute ("ATS"), 28 U.S.C. § 1350, is a merits question, as it has been treated by all courts prior to the decision below, or an issue of subject matter jurisdiction, as the court of appeals held for the first time.
2. Whether corporations are immune from tort liability for violations of the law of nations such as torture, extrajudicial executions or genocide, as the court of appeals decisions provides, or if corporations may be sued in the same manner as any other private party defendant under the ATS for such egregious violations, as the Eleventh Circuit has explicitly held.
Supplemental Question Presented:
Whether and under what circumstances the Alien Tort Statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1350, allows courts to recognize a cause of action for violations of the law of nations occurring within the territory of a sovereign other than the United States.
Case Updates
U.S. Supreme Court sets Alien Tort Statute case for re-argument
March 05, 2012
The U.S. Supreme Court ordered supplemental briefing and re-argument during the 2012 Term.
U.S. Chamber files amicus brief
February 03, 2012
NCLC filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to warn that efforts to expand civil liability under the 1789 Alien Tort Statute (ATS) would interfere with U.S. foreign relations, and would have severe economic consequences not just on the domestic economy - by discouraging investment by foreign companies reluctant to be exposed to American-style litigation - but also on developing and post-conflict countries, particularly those where the U.S. government has enlisted the aid of American businesses to “constructively engage” them through commerce.
Cert. granted 10/17/11. U.S. Chamber letters sent to the White House, the Solicitor General, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of State, and the Defense Department. NCLC merits amicusbrief filed 2/3/12. Argued 2/28/12. Supplemental briefing and reargument ordered 3/5/12.
Case Documents
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Cert. Petition).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Brief in Opposition to Cert.).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Reply Brief in Support of Cert.).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Second Circuit Decision).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Amicus Brief - Solicitor General of the United States).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum (Hon Verrilli).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum (Sec Bryson).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum (Sec Clinton).pdf
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum Sec Daley Ms Ruemmler
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum Sec Geithner
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum Sec Panetta
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief AFL CIO
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Ambassador Scheffer
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Brennan Ctr
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Civ Pro Professors
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Earthrights Intl
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Former USofficials
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Intl Human Rightsorg
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Intl Law Scholars
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Law Professors
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Legal Historyprofessors
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Nuremberg Historians
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Nurembergscholars
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Romgoza Wiwa
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Rutherford Institute
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Specter
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Stiglitz
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Thomas Shoenbaum
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief UN High Comm E099r
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief United States
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Yale Law School
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Shell (NCLC Merits Amicus Brief).pdf
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief BP Americaetal
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief CATO Institute
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Chevron Corporation
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Clearing House Association L L C
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Coca Cola Companyand Archer Daniels Midland Company
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Federal Republicof Germany
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief International Law Professors
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief KBR
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Law Professorsof Constitutionaland Federal Civil Procedure Law
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief National Foreign Trade Council
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Product Liability Advisory Councel
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Amicus Brief - Professors of International Law, Foreign Relations Law and Federal Jurisdiction).pdf
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief Rio Tinto Groupand Occidental Petroleum
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Amicus Brief United Kingdomand Netherlands
- Kiobel et al v Royal Dutch Petroleum et al Merits Amicus Brief United States
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Amicus Brief - Association of German Chambers of Industry & Commerce, et al.).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Royal Dutch Brief for Respondents).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Amicus Brief - Center for Constitutional Rights).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Kiobel Opening Merits Brief).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Amicus Brief - Professors of Legal History).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Amicus Brief - Nuremburg Scholars).pdf
- Kiobel, et al. v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, et al. (Cert. Stage Amicus Brief - Ambassador David J. Scheffer).pdf