Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Arabian American Oil Co. Case Brief

Supreme Court of the United States1991Docket #96826
113 L. Ed. 2d 274 111 S. Ct. 1227 499 U.S. 244 1991 U.S. LEXIS 1855 59 U.S.L.W. 4225 55 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 40,607 55 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 449 Legislation and Regulation Employment Discrimination Law International Law Administrative Law

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
3 min read

tl;dr: The Supreme Court held that Title VII does not apply extraterritorially to protect U.S. citizens working abroad for U.S. employers, citing the strong presumption against extraterritorial application of statutes and finding no clear congressional intent to overcome it.

Legal Significance: This case established that federal statutes are presumed to apply only domestically unless Congress makes a “clear statement” to the contrary. It significantly limited Title VII’s geographic scope until Congress legislatively overruled the decision in the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Arabian American Oil Co. Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Petitioner Ali Boureslan, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was hired in Texas by Aramco Service Company (ASC), a U.S. corporation. At his request, he was transferred to Saudi Arabia to work for ASC’s parent company, Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco), also a U.S. corporation. After several years, Aramco discharged Boureslan. He subsequently filed a lawsuit in the United States, alleging that he was harassed and ultimately terminated because of his race, religion, and national origin, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The employer, Aramco, moved to dismiss the claim, arguing that Title VII’s protections do not extend to U.S. citizens employed by American companies outside the territorial United States. The District Court dismissed the case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve the question of Title VII’s extraterritorial application.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 apply extraterritorially to regulate the employment practices of United States employers who employ United States citizens abroad?

No. The Court held that Title VII does not apply extraterritorially. The Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut al

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.

Legal Issue

Does Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 apply extraterritorially to regulate the employment practices of United States employers who employ United States citizens abroad?

Conclusion

The decision established a high bar for the extraterritorial application of federal Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut en

Legal Rule

Legislation of Congress is presumed to apply only within the territorial jurisdiction Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris ni

Legal Analysis

The Court's analysis centered on the strong "canon of construction" that congressional Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetu

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • Holding: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim i

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