American Isuzu Motors: United States to File Amicus Brief in Support of Petitioners

On January 10, the defendants in the apartheid Alien Tort Statute litigation filed a petition for a writ of certiorari. On Friday, the United States notified the parties that it would be filing an amicus brief in support of the petitioners. The case is American Isuzu Motors v. Ntsebeza (No. 07-919). At issue is an October Second Circuit decision (Khulumani v. Barclay National Bank Ltd.) that reinstated a class action lawsuit (really a combination of lawsuits) seeking to hold the defendants (U.S. and foreign corporations) liable for hundreds of billions of dollars in damages for allegedly aiding and abetting the South African apartheid regime in violation of international law. For more, see SCOTUSblog.