Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Challenges to the DOJ's Jurisdiction over Extraterritorial Conduct

BY David S. Krakoff James T. Parkinson, Lauren R. Randell, Veena Viswanatha
September 01, 2016

The United States is often criticized for trying to be the world's policeman ' for trying to prosecute wrongdoing all over the world, even when the connection to U.S. interests is, at best, tenuous. The Supreme Court has in recent years begun imposing limits on the application of federal laws to wide swaths of extraterritorial conduct, in Morrison v. National Australia Bank, 561 U.S. 247 (2010), and related cases. The Court limited the extraterritorial reach of the federal securities laws (Morrison); limited the extraterritorial reach of the Alien Tort Statute (Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, 133 S. Ct. 1659 (2013)); and made it harder for U.S. courts to get personal jurisdiction over foreign defendants (Daimler AG v. Bauman, 134 S. Ct. 746 (2014). But to what extent does the Morrison line of cases help challenge the notion of the United States as the world's policeman?

Our answer is, not much. The Supreme Court's focus in recent years appears to be on limiting the ability of foreign civil plaintiffs to recover under U.S. law for wrongs committed abroad, leaving the DOJ's ability to prosecute misconduct around the world relatively intact. The most recent case in the Morrison line ' RJR Nabisco, Inc. v. European Community, 136 S. Ct. 2090 (2016) ' was the first to address a criminal statute, and that case ended up barring civil plaintiffs from recovering under RICO for injuries that only took place abroad, while at the same time preserving the DOJ's ability to pursue criminal RICO charges stemming from the same conduct.

The case led some commentators to conclude that the DOJ was getting everything it wanted ' the ability to use RICO extraterritorially, while getting “pesky” civil plaintiffs out of the way of criminal enforcement actions. See, e.g., Amy Howe, Opinion Analysis: In the End, RJR Prevails in European Community's RICO Lawsuit, SCOTUSblog, June 20, 2016; see also Peter J. Henning, RJR Nabisco Ruling Bolsters Justice Dept.'s Pursuit of FIFA, New York Times, June 27, 2016.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models Image

Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.

Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge Image

As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.

Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator Image

How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.

Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising Image

The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.

Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality Image

This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.