U.S. Supreme Court Shields Corporations From Human-Rights Suits

  • Court votes 5-4 along ideological lines in Arab Bank case
  • Decision is second in five years to trim Alien Tort Statute
Photographer: Ron Antonelli/Bloomberg
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that victims of overseas atrocities can’t use a centuries-old law to sue foreign corporations for complicity, blunting what once was a favorite legal tool for human-rights advocates.

The 5-4 ruling on Tuesday, which divided the court along ideological lines, marks the second time in five years the high court has cut the reach of the 1789 Alien Tort Statute.