Professors Chimene Keitner and William Dodge Author Amicus Curiae Briefs in U.S. Supreme Court Case

Professor Chimène Keitner authored the Brief of Professors of Public International Law and Comparative Law as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondents in Yousuf v. Samantar. Robert Freitas '77 of Orrick is a co-counsel on the brief. 

Professor William Dodge co-authored a separate amicus brief on behalf of Professors of International Litigation and Foreign Relations Law.

In Yousuf v. Samantar, torture survivors and victims' family members sued Samantar, the former Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Somalia, for torture and extrajudicial killing. Samantar lives in Virginia. The Fourth Circuit held that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 (FSIA) does not apply to individuals, and therefore does not shield Samantar from suit. It remanded the question of whether other, non-statutory sources of immunity might apply. The U.S. Supreme Court granted Samantar's petition for certiorari to review the Fourth Circuit's decision interpreting the FSIA. Briefing is currently in progress, and oral arguments are scheduled for March 3.

Professor Keitner's brief.

Professor Dodge's brief.