Taking on the Terrorists: How to Use Civil Lawsuits to Bankrupt the Bad Guys

Foreign terrorist organizations need money to survive. The United States, unlike most other countries, provides a forum for nationals of foreign states to bring civil actions against their tormentors in federal court, even if the alleged violations took place outside of U.S. territory. By using such legal action to bring civil lawsuits, those who have been victimized by acts of terrorism can cut off the money supply that is the lifeblood of these terrorist organizations.  

In this course, attorney Ameer Benno provides an overview of the different claims that can be brought in U.S. courts to help accomplish this important goal, including the “state sponsored terrorism” exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, the Alien Tort Statute (also known as the Alien Tort Claims Act), the Torture Victims Protection Act, and the Anti-Terrorism Act. This course also provides an overview on the process of conducting international discovery, and getting judgments obtained pursuant to these lawsuits recognized and enforced in non-U.S. domestic judicial fora.   

Learning Objectives:

I.     Understand the state-sponsored terrorism exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act

II.    Become acquainted with the Alien Tort Statute

III.   Explore the Torture Victims Protection Act

IV.   Gain insight into the Anti-Terrorism Act

V.    Identify the nuances of conducting international discovery

VI.   Comprehend how to get judgments obtained pursuant to these lawsuits recognized and enforced in non-U.S. domestic judicial fora