9th Cir.;
10-56739
The court of appeals reversed and vacated a district court judgment of dismissal. The court held that there is no categorical rule of corporate immunity or liability for Alien Tort Statute claims, so that international law determines in each instance whether corporations are subject to the norms underlying a plaintiff’s specific claims. The court held further that the prohibition against slavery was universal and could be asserted against companies that allegedly aided and abetted child slavery in the Ivory Coast to maximize profits and protect their supply of cocoa.
