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Litigation Seeking to Establish Climate Change Impacts as a Common Law Nuisance

Description: This report discusses recent legislative initiatives seeking to establish climate change impacts as a common law nuisance. The report explains what private and public nuisances are, the issues faced by policymakers when litigating a climate-change/nuisance suit, and also discusses five climate-chance/nuisance suits that are now or formerly active, as a basis of comparison. The report also explores arguments of those both for and against addressing the complex issue of climate change through com… more
Date: November 19, 2010
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Samantar v. Yousef: The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and Foreign Officials

Description: On June 1, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court decided unanimously in Samantar v. Yousef that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), which governs the immunity of foreign states in U.S. courts, does not apply in suits against foreign officials. The report also addresses legislation considered by the 111th Congress that would have affected the immunity of foreign officials (the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, S. 2930, 111th Cong.).
Date: January 11, 2011
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
captions transcript

[News Clip: Nick Nolte]

Description: Video footage from the KXAS-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, to accompany a news story.
Date: February 2, 1982, 5:00 p.m.
Duration: 2 minutes 13 seconds
Creator: KXAS-TV (Television station : Fort Worth, Tex.)
Partner: UNT Libraries Special Collections
open access

It Belongs in a Museum: Sovereign Immunity Shields Iranian Antiquities Even When It Does Not Protect Iran

Description: This report discusses the Supreme Court's decision in the case of "Rubin v. Islamic Republic of Iran" where the court ruled that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) did not permit U.S. victims of Iran-sponsored terrorist attacks to seize a collection of Persian antiquities on loan from Iran to a museum at the University of Chicago. The background of the case and case law about the FSIA is also discussed.
Date: March 22, 2018
Creator: Mulligan, Stephen P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Congressional Participation in Article III Courts: Standing to Sue

Description: This report seeks to provide an overview of Congress's ability to participate in litigation before Article III courts. The report is limited to a discussion of Congress's participation in litigation as either a plaintiff (e.g., the party initiating the suit alleging some sort of harm or violation of law) or as a third-party intervener (e.g., a party who is seeking to join litigation already initiated by another plaintiff).
Date: September 4, 2014
Creator: Dolan, Alissa M. & Garvey, Todd
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Suits Against Terrorist States by Victims of Terrorism

Description: This report provides background on the doctrine of State immunity and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA); details the evolution of the terrorist State exception and some of the resulting judicial decisions; describes legislative efforts to help claimants satisfy their judgments; summarizes the decision in the hostages' suit against Iran and Congress's efforts to intervene; summarizes what has happened with Iraq's assets, and provides an overview of proposed legislation.
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Suits Against Terrorist States by Victims of Terrorism

Description: This report provides background on the doctrine of State immunity and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA); details the evolution of the terrorist State exception and some of the resulting judicial decisions; describes legislative efforts to help claimants satisfy their judgments; summarizes the decision in the hostages' suit against Iran and Congress's efforts to intervene; summarizes what has happened with Iraq's assets, and provides an overview of proposed legislation
Date: May 1, 2008
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Tort Claims Act

Description: The Federal Tort Claims Act is the statute by which the United States authorizes tort suits to be brought against itself. With exceptions, it makes the United States liable for injuries caused by the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any federal employee acting within the scope of his employment, in accordance with the law of the state where the act or omission occurred. This report discusses, among other things, the application of the Feres doctrine to suits for injuries caused by medic… more
Date: April 27, 2009
Creator: Cohen, Henry & Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Statutes of Limitation in Federal Criminal Cases: An Overview

Description: This report discusses federal statutes of limitations on crimes with a list of circumstances that can suspend those limits. A list of federal statutes of limitation in criminal cases and a rough chart of comparable state provisions are provided in this report.
Date: October 1, 2012
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Lawsuits Against State Supporters of Terrorism: An Overview

Description: A 1996 amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) enables American victims of international terrorist acts supported by certain States designated by the State Department as supporters of terrorism - Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and previously Iraq and Libya - to bring suit in U.S. courts to seek monetary damages. This report, which will be updated, provides an overview of these issues and relevant legislation (H.R. 5167).
Date: August 7, 2008
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Lawsuits Against State Supporters of Terrorism: An Overview

Description: A 1996 amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) enables American victims of international terrorist acts supported by certain States designated by the State Department as supporters of terrorism - Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and previously Iraq and Libya - to bring suit in U.S. courts to seek monetary damages. This report, which will be updated, provides an overview of these issues and relevant legislation (H.R. 5167).
Date: July 15, 2008
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Google Book Search Project: Is Online Indexing a Fair Use Under Copyright Law?

Description: This report provides background on the pending litigation. Google, Inc. is digitally scanning the collections of several prominent libraries in order to create a vast searchable database of literary works. Copyright holders who have not authorized and object to the digitization have filed suit against the company.
Date: December 28, 2005
Creator: Jeweler, Robin
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Pigford Case: USDA Settlement of a Discrimination Suit by Black Farmers

Description: On April 14, 1999, Federal District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman approved a settlement agreement and consent decree resolving a class action discrimination suit (commonly known as the Pigford case) between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and black farmers. This report highlights some of the events that led up to the Pigford class action suit and outlines the structure of the settlement agreement. It also discusses the number of claims reviewed, denied, and awarded, and some of the issues rai… more
Date: December 6, 2005
Creator: Viña, Stephen R. & Cowan, Tadlock
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Pigford Case: USDA Settlement of a Discrimination Suit by Black Farmers

Description: This report highlights some of the events that led up to the Pigford class action suit and outlines the structure of the settlement agreement. It also discusses the number of claims reviewed, denied, and awarded, and some of the issues raised by various parties.
Date: December 6, 2005
Creator: Viña, Stephen R. & Cowan, Tadlock
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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