When Is a Violation of Human Rights Under International Law a Tort Under U.S. Federal Law?- Tucson, AZ

Date 

Add to My Calendar Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:00am

Location 

As a part of the Judiciary Act of 1789, the United States Congress provided that federal courts shall have jurisdiction over all cases "…where an alien sues for a tort only in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States," now known as the Alien Tort Statute, 28 U.S.C. §1350. Today, more than two centuries later, plaintiffs are resorting to this federal statute to seek recovery in courts of the United States for damages allegedly inflicted upon them or their families by multinational corporations operating in the plaintiffs’ home countries. At least one such case has made it to trial, while several others are pending, all alleging violation of human rights guaranteed by international law, including treaties to which the United States is a party. And more recently, contingency-fee class action law firms, as well as "human rights advocacy groups," are representing the plaintiffs. Is this trend likely to continue, or is it headed for a dead end with the United States Supreme Court?

Sponsored by: World Peace Through Law Section

Seminar Chair: Steve Doncaster, Salt River Project Law Department

Faculty:

Professor Ved Nanda- Vice Provost, Internationalization; Director,International Legal Studies Program, University of DenverCollege of Law, Denver, CO
Marco Simons- Legal Director, EarthRights International,Washington, DC
Katherine Gallagher- Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights, New York, NY

3 CLE Credit Hours
1.0 Ethics Hour
Thursday, June 19 • 2:00 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.

Last modified 

May 21, 2008