Program

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

3:00 pm – 5:45 pm

Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont St., Room 425

Contact Terrence Smith at the Moakley Institute, 617-305-6295 or email the Institute at bbower@suffolk.edu to RSVP or for more information. Attendance at this forum is free of charge.

Alien Tort Claims Act: Advancing Human Rights or Threat to Global Business?

The John Joseph Moakley Institute and Suffolk University Law School present a new series, “Supreme Court Updates”, focusing on noteworthy cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. Each forum will offer an opportunity for advocates with a principal interest in the selected case to have an open discussion of the legal issues.

The first Moakley Institute “Supreme Court Update” is scheduled for April 20, 2004 at Suffolk University Law School and will focus on the Alien Tort Claims Act (ATCA). On March 30, 2004, the Supreme Court of the United States is hearing the case of Jose Francisco Sosa, Petitioner v. Alvarez-Machain. At the center of this case is the 1789 Alien Tort Claims Act, which in the past twenty years has been used increasingly to sue sovereign states, non-U.S. government officials and corporations for damages related to human rights abuses. Only around 100 ATCA cases have been filed, but the use of ATCA has attracted opposing views from human rights groups, international corporations and anti-terrorism agencies. The Supreme Court has been asked to rule on the applicability of ATCA in these cases.