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7h ago

Supreme Court Unanimously Upholds Law Allowing U.S. Terror Victims to Sue PLO and PA

Chief Justice Roberts wrote that the law upholds constitutional due process by tying jurisdiction to activities that implicate U.S. foreign policy prerogatives.

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The U.S. Supreme Court building is seen the morning before justices are expected to issue opinions in pending cases, in Washington, U.S., June 14, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo
The Supreme Court of the United States on Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington.
A view of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, U.S., June 17, 2024.

Overview

  • The justices reversed a Second Circuit decision and reinstated the 2019 Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act as compliant with the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause.
  • Under the statute, the PLO and Palestinian Authority automatically consent to U.S. court jurisdiction if they maintain an office in the country or make payments to individuals who attack Americans.
  • Plaintiffs include relatives of Ari Fuld, a U.S. citizen fatally stabbed in the West Bank, and families who previously won a $655 million judgment now revived by the ruling.
  • Chief Justice Roberts emphasized that Congress reasonably linked jurisdictional authority to conduct involving the United States and key foreign policy considerations.
  • Lower courts are now directed to allow civil lawsuits under the Anti-Terrorism Act to proceed, clearing the path for potential compensation to American victims.