Supreme Court to Decide Whether U.S. Corporations Can Be Sued for Abuses They Support Overseas

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Tuesday on whether U.S.-based corporations can be sued in U.S. courts for human rights abuses committed overseas. The case involves nine Nigerian activists, including Ken Saro Wiwa, executed for protesting Royal Dutch Shell. We're joined by Marco Simons, legal director of Earth Rights International, which filed a "friend of the court" legal brief in this case and has been a pioneer in using the Alien Tort Statute to sue corporations for human rights abuses in Burma, Nigeria, Colombia and other nations. Some legal analysts are comparing the case to the landmark campaign finance ruling in Citizens United which found that corporations have broad rights under the First Amendment and can directly fund political campaigns. "This case is really about whether a corporation that participates in serious human rights abuses, such as crimes against humanity or genocide or state sponsored torture, can profit from those abuses and shield those profits from the victims when the victims come to take them to court," Marco says.

http://www.alternet.org/rss/breaking_news/817415/supreme_court_to__decide_whether_u.s._corporations_can_be_sued_for_abuses_they_support_overseas/

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

An opportune time for this decision. It is preposterous, of course, to sue a US corporation in US court for violations overseas. That would be the jurisdiction of the courts where the violation took place.

If you want to end the abuse, then implement the FAIR TAX and make corporate tax in the -0-%.

Amazing though that you would want to support the rights of people overseas but not those being exploited by US employers right here.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Oh good god.

What crackpot attorney trying to make a name for himself came up with this bullshit?

Of course I'm sure the LWNs around here all support this garbage.

[웃 910]

Oh good god.

What crackpot attorney trying to make a name for himself came up with this bullshit?

Of course I'm sure the LWNs around here all support this garbage.

[S_R 148]

An opportune time for this decision. It is preposterous, of course, to sue a US corporation in US court for violations overseas. That would be the jurisdiction of the courts where the violation took place.

If you want to end the abuse, then implement the FAIR TAX and make corporate tax in the -0-%.

Amazing though that you would want to support the rights of people overseas but not those being exploited by US employers right here.

If the US govt can sue & get huge monetary compensations from US corporations working overseas for ethical violations...why should they not be sued for human rights abuses carried out under their watch?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

It's 2012. Bust em I say. Let's see how much they like their slave labor after that.