Transcript
September 19, 2011. Kudos to Justin for reminding me that it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!
For reference, the Alien Tort Statute, also known as the Alien Tort Claims Act, grants federal courts jurisidction over "civil action[s] by an alien for a tort only, committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States." The Supreme Court ruled that these actions were limited to claims such as "violation of safe conducts, infringement of the rights of ambassadors, and piracy." Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, 542 U.S. 692, 724 (2004). Lower court cases have interpreted this to require that the defedant in an Alien Tort Statute claim be acting in concert with a state. See Abdullahi v. Pfizer, 562 F.3d 163 (2d Cir. 2009).
I apologize to everyone who wanted this comic to involve little green men instead of pirates. ARRR.
Gunnery
Professor (off-panel): Ms. Bunny, can you tell me how
courts have limited the scope
of the Alien Tort Statute?
Tort Bunny: Um ... the 2d Circuit requires
state action, right? So courts--
End of panel.
Brown Rabbit: Professor, I disagree
with the court here.
Brown Rabbit: The Alien Tort Statute was
historically used to bring
claims for acts of piracy.
End of panel.
Brown Rabbit: And pirates are non-state actors!
Caption: Gunner.
End of panel.
Blam!
A cannon ball flies over Brown Rabbit's head.
End of panel.
Negligent Lop is wearing a pirate hat, an eyepatch, and a hook hand.
He also has a cannon.
Negligent Lop: Maties, this landlubber says pirates
be nothing but bilge rats chasing
grog. Actually, ye olde pirates were
corsairs for the Barbary States an'
privateers for the English Crown,
a respectable state-sponsored lot!
Caption: GunnARRR.
End of comic.
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