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FILARTIGA v. PENA-IRALA Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: Paraguayan citizens sued a former Paraguayan police official in a U.S. court for torturing and killing their relative in Paraguay. The court held that U.S. federal courts have jurisdiction over such claims under the Alien Tort Statute because official torture violates customary international law.
Legal Significance: This landmark case revitalized the Alien Tort Statute, establishing that U.S. federal courts can hear civil suits by aliens for torts like official torture committed abroad, as such acts violate universally recognized norms of customary international law and thus “the law of nations.”
FILARTIGA v. PENA-IRALA Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The plaintiffs, Dr. Joel Filartiga and his daughter, Dolly, were citizens of Paraguay. They filed a civil suit in the Eastern District of New York against Americo Norberto Pena-Irala, also a Paraguayan citizen and a former Inspector General of Police in Asunción. The complaint alleged that in 1976, Pena, acting under color of official authority, kidnapped and tortured to death Dr. Filartiga’s 17-year-old son, Joelito, in retaliation for Dr. Filartiga’s political activities. Dolly Filartiga later discovered that Pena was residing in Brooklyn, New York. She arranged for him to be served with a summons and complaint shortly before he was to be deported from the United States. The plaintiffs asserted jurisdiction under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), 28 U.S.C. § 1350, which grants federal district courts jurisdiction over civil actions by an alien for a tort committed in violation of the law of nations. The defendant moved to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The district court granted the motion, concluding that the law of nations does not govern a state’s treatment of its own citizens. The plaintiffs appealed.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does the Alien Tort Statute grant a federal district court subject matter jurisdiction over a tort claim brought by aliens against another alien for acts of official torture committed in their home country, on the grounds that such acts violate the law of nations?
Yes. The court held that official torture is a violation of 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 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
IRAC Legal Analysis
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Legal Issue
Does the Alien Tort Statute grant a federal district court subject matter jurisdiction over a tort claim brought by aliens against another alien for acts of official torture committed in their home country, on the grounds that such acts violate the law of nations?
Conclusion
Filartiga revitalized the Alien Tort Statute as a potent tool for human 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 reprehend
Legal Rule
Deliberate torture perpetrated under color of official authority violates universally accepted norms 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
Legal Analysis
The Second Circuit reversed the district court, holding that the Alien Tort 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, 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
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- The Alien Tort Statute (28 U.S.C. § 1350) grants federal courts