Archived SI output (machine-generated)

Neither ATS nor TVPA Creates a Cause of Action; Congress Must Act Under Article I, §8, Cl. 10

Mode: Scotus Opinion Generated by VFA SI Solutions Drafted: 2026.06.30

Archived SI output (machine-generated) · No editorial review recorded

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Supreme Court opinion

Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe

Amy Coney Barrett

Author

Amy Coney Barrett

Filed

2026-06-23

Citation

—

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Archived SI draft (machine-generated)

Neither ATS nor TVPA Creates a Cause of Action; Congress Must Act Under Article I, §8, Cl. 10

Whether courts may create causes of action under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) for aiding and abetting violations of international law, and whether the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) provides for aiding-and-abetting liability.

Constitutional concerns with the original

The majority in Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain departed from the text of the ATS by implying a cause of action where the statute provides only jurisdiction.
The majority allowed judicial creation of causes of action, which is a legislative function assigned to Congress under Article I, Section 8, Clause 10 (Define and Punish Offenses against the Law of Nations).
The majority ignored the original understanding that federal courts do not have general common-law power to create remedies for violations of the law of nations; such power resides in the states via the Tenth Amendment.

Solution text

1. The question: Do the Alien Tort Statute (28 U.S.C. §1350) and the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 (TVPA) provide causes of action for aiding and abetting violations of international law? 2. Relevant constitutional text: Article I, Section 8, Clause 10 grants Congress power to 'define and punish . . . Offences against the Law of Nations.' The ATS, enacted in 1789, grants federal courts jurisdiction over 'any civil action by an alien for a tort only, committed in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States.' The TVPA creates a cause of action against any person who 'subjects' another to torture. 3. Ratification-era understanding: At the founding, the law of nations was part of the common law, but the Constitution vested the power to define and punish offenses against the law of nations in Congress, not the courts. The ATS was a jurisdictional grant, not a delegation to courts to create new causes of action. The First Congress intended to provide a forum for aliens where the law of nations itself provided a right, but it did not authorize courts to invent new rights. The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states or the people powers not delegated to the federal government. 4. Holding: The ATS does not create a cause of action; it is purely jurisdictional. Courts may not imply new causes of action under the ATS because that would usurp Congress's Article I, §8, Cl. 10 power. The TVPA's text limits liability to those who 'subject' another to torture, which requires direct perpetration. Aiding and abetting is not 'subjecting' anyone to torture. Therefore, Cisco cannot be held liable under either statute. 5. Downstream changes: Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain is overruled. No new ATS causes of action may be created by courts. Any expansion of liability for aiding and abetting violations of international law must come from Congress. The need for accountability for corporate complicity in human rights abuses is legitimate, but the Constitution assigns that power to the political branches. Congress may, under Article I, §8, Cl. 10, enact a statute creating such liability, subject to constitutional limits.

Operative provisions

remedy

Congress should enact a statute under Article I, Section 8, Clause 10, creating a civil cause of action against any person who aids and abets a violation of the law of nations, defined as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture, and extrajudicial killing. The statute should require a mens rea of purpose to facilitate the violation and actual knowledge of the specific violation. Extraterritorial application must be explicitly provided. A sunset of 10 years should require reauthorization.

stare decisis treatment

Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, 542 U.S. 692 (2004), is overruled. The ATS is jurisdictional only. The Court's holding is limited to the ATS and TVPA; it does not affect other statutes that explicitly create causes of action.

scope of holding

This holding applies to all ATS cases: no private right of action exists under the ATS. The holding also applies to the TVPA: aiding and abetting is not covered. The holding does not address state common-law tort claims, which may proceed under state law subject to federal preemption.

Bipartisan rationale

This textualist holding honors conservative principles by confining federal courts to their constitutional role and respecting Congress's Article I power. It honors liberal priorities by preserving the legitimate need for accountability and inviting Congress to legislate with clear standards, thus avoiding judicial overreach. Both parties can support a framework where Congress, not courts, defines the scope of liability for international law violations, ensuring democratic legitimacy and predictability.

Constitutional citations

→ Article I, Section 8, Clause 10
→ Tenth Amendment
→ Article III, Section 2 (extending judicial power to cases arising under treaties and the law of nations)

Article I, Section 8, Clause 10 Amendment X Article III, Section 2

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Generated by VFA SI Solutions · 2026.06.30 06:02 UTC · ← Back to the Republic