PanamaTimes

Monday, Mar 18, 2024

US Supreme Court Tosses Slavery Case Against Cargill, Nestle USA

US Supreme Court Tosses Slavery Case Against Cargill, Nestle USA

In an 8-1 ruling, the court ruled that US courts did not have the jurisdiction to decide the case, which was filed by six citizens of Mali who said they had been used as child slaves in the Ivory Coast.
The US Supreme Court tossed out a lawsuit on Thursday against Cargill and Nestle USA that accused the food giants of aiding and abetting slavery by using cocoa harvested from plantations in the Ivory Coast that used forced child labor.

In an 8-1 ruling, the court ruled that US courts did not have the jurisdiction to decide the case, which was filed by six citizens of Mali who said they had been used as child slaves in the Ivory Coast.

A lower court, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, had allowed the lawsuit to proceed but the nation's highest court disagreed.

"Respondents here seek a judicially created cause of action to recover damages from American corporations that allegedly aided and abetted slavery abroad," the court said in its opinion.

"Although respondents' injuries occurred entirely overseas, the Ninth Circuit held that respondents could sue in federal court because the defendant corporations allegedly made 'major operational decisions' in the United States," it said.

"The Ninth Circuit erred by allowing this suit to proceed."

The lawsuit was filed in 2005 by six Malians who say they were trafficked as children then held as slaves on Ivorian farms, where the US subsidiary of Switzerland-based Nestle and the American agricultural giant Cargill have purchased cocoa.

The suit alleged that the two companies knew what was occurring on the farms.

Lower courts had validated the suit under a 1789 law known as the Alien Tort Statute (ATS), which gives US federal courts jurisdiction to hear certain civil actions filed by foreign nationals.

The law, initially intended to fight piracy, has taken on a second life over the last 50 years with lawsuits filed that allege human rights abuses.

But the Supreme Court has repeatedly restricted its scope, such as in 2018 when it ruled against claims against foreign countries.

In Thursday's ruling, the Supreme Court said the plaintiffs were improperly seeking "extraterritorial application of the ATS."

"Nearly all the conduct that they say aided and abetted forced labor -- providing training, fertilizer, tools, and cash to overseas farms -- occurred in Ivory Coast," it said.

Former president Donald Trump's administration supported the companies during arguments before the court.
Comments

Austin 2 year ago
What is meant by, 'Trumps administration?' Does the article mean Trump personally sent his people to aid the companies? Or were these people acting independently of Trump? There is a big difference between the two.

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×