U.S. Supreme Court May Shield Companies From Human-Rights Lawsuits
- Roberts, Kennedy question whether 1789 law covers corporations
- Supreme Court hears arguments in Middle Eastern terrorism case
The U.S. Supreme Court building stands in Washington, D.C., U.S.
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
U.S. Supreme Court justices suggested they may bar victims of overseas atrocities from using a centuries-old law to sue corporations for complicity, as the court weighed a case stemming from Middle Eastern terrorism.
Hearing arguments Wednesday in Washington, the court’s conservative wing questioned whether the 1789 Alien Tort Statute, a favorite tool of human-rights activists in recent decades, permits suits against corporations in U.S. courts.