On the ATS: D.C. Circuit Splits with Second

For another twist of American courts on the Alien Tort Statute (this time, in favour of its applicability to corporations), I suggest reading the D.C. Circuit decision of July, the 8th, John Doe VIII v. Exxon Mobil Corp (see here). Also, the recent post of K. Anderson in Opinio Juris, where he speaks his opinion against the majority in John Doe VIII. He concludes that “the corporate liability issue is so fundamental to contemporary ATS litigation – preceding, in a logical sense, the standards found in Sosa – and the split among circuits now so stark, that the [Supreme] Court cannot simply avoid resolving it.” (But, as he says himself, such a conclusion might be naive…)