KUMAR v. REPUBLIC OF SUDAN

Nos. 16-2267, 16-2269, 16-2271, 16-2272, 16-2273, 16-2275, 16-2276, 16-2280, 16-2281, 16-2282, 16-2283, 16-2284, 16-2285, 16-2286, 16-2287, 16-2288, 16-2289, 16-2290, 16-2365.

880 F.3d 144 (2018)

Avinesh KUMAR, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend of C.K., a minor; Jennifer Clodfelter, Individually and as Next Friend of N.C., a minor; John Clodfelter; Gloria Clodfelter; Joseph Clodfelter; Sharla Costelow, Individually and as the Next Friend of E.C. and B.C., minors; George Costelow; Dorothy Costelow; Ronald W. Francis; Sandra Francis; David Francis; James Francis; Sarah Guana Esquivel; Lou Gunn; Mona Gunn; Anton J. Gunn; Jamal Gunn; Jason Gunn; Novella Wiggins; Diane McDaniels, Individually and as Next Friend of J.M., a minor; Fredericka McDaniels-Bess; Jesse Nieto; Jamie Owens, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend of I.M.O., a minor; Kenyon Embry; Teresa Smith; Hugh M. Palmer; Leroy Parlett; Etta Parlett, Individually and as Next Friend of H.P., a minor; Kera Parlett Miller; Matthew Parlett; Kate Brown; Sean Walsh; Kevin Roy; Olivia Rux; Rogelio Santiago; Simeona Santiago; Jacqueline Saunders, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend for J.T.S., a minor; Isley Gayle Saunders; Gary Swenchonis, Sr.; Deborah Swenchonis; Shalala Swenchonis-Wood; Lorie D. Triplett, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend of A.T. and S.R.T., minors; Savannah Triplett; Freddie Triplett; Theodis Triplett; Kevin Triplett; Wayne Triplett; Thomas Wibberly; Patricia A. Wibberly; Toni Wibberly; Timothy P. Sceviour, as Personal Representative of the Estates of Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter, Richard Costelow, Lakeina Monique Francis, Timothy Lee Gauna, Cherone Louis Gunn, James Roderick McDaniels, Marc Ian Nieto, Ronald Scott Owens, Lakiba Nicole Palmer; Timothy P. Sceviour, as Personal Representative of the Estates of Joshua Langdon Parlett, Patrick Howard Roy, Kevin Shawn Rux, Ronchester Mananga Santiago, Timothy Lamont Saunders, Gary Graham Swenchonis, Jr., Andrew Triplett and Craig Bryan Wibberly, Plaintiffs-Appellees, and Reed Triplett, Plaintiff, and Ollesha Smith Jean; Jack Earl Swenson, Consolidated Plaintiffs, v. REPUBLIC OF SUDAN, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter; Jennifer Clodfelter, individually and as next friend of N.C., a minor; John Clodfelter; Gloria Clodfelter; Joseph Clodfelter, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Richard Costelow; Sharla Costelow, individually and as next friend of E. C. and B.C., minors; George Costelow; Dorothy Costelow, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Lakeina Monique Francis; Ronald W. Francis; Sandra Francis; David Francis; James Francis, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant, United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Timothy Lee Guana; Sarah Guana Esquivel, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Cherone Louis Gunn; Lou Gunn; Mona Gunn; Anton J. Gunn; Jason Gunn, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of James Roderick McDaniels; Novella Wiggins; Diane McDaniels, individually and as next friend of J.M. a minor; Fredericka McDaniels-Bess, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Marc Ian Nieto; Jesse Nieto, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Ronald Scott Owens; Jamie Owens, individually and as the guardian of the estate and next friend of I.M.O., a minor, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Lakiba Nicole Palmer; Avinesh Kumar, individually and as the guardian of the estate and next friend of C.K., a minor; Kenyon Embry; Teresa Smith; Hugh M. Palmer; Jack Earl Swenson; Ollesha Smith Jean, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Joshua Langdon Parlett; Leroy Parlett; Etta Parlett, individually and as next friend of H.P., a minor; Kera Parlett Miller; Matthew Parlett, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant, United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Patrick Howard Roy; Kate Brown; Sean Walsh; Kevin Roy, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Kevin Shawn Rux; Olivia Rux, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Ronchester Mananga Santiago; Rogelio Santiago; Simeona Santiago, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Timothy Lamont Saunders; Jacqueline Saunders, individually and as the guardian of estate and next friend of J.T.S., a minor; Isley Gayle Saunders, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Gary Graham Swenchonis, Jr.; Gary Swenchonis, Sr.; Deborah Swenchonis; Shalala Swenchonis-Wood, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Andrew Triplett; Lorie D.Triplett, individually and as the guardian of estate & next friend of A.T. & S.R.T., minors; Reed Triplett; Savannah Triplett; Freddie Triplett; Theodis Triplett; Kevin Triplett; Wayne Triplett, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Timothy P. Sceviour, as personal representative of the estate of Craig Bryan Wibberly; Thomas Wibberly, Patricia A. Wibberly; Toni Wibberly, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellant. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellant. Avinesh Kumar, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend of C.K., a minor; Jennifer Clodfelter, Individually and as Next Friend of N.C., a minor; John Clodfelter; Gloria Clodfelter; Joseph Clodfelter; Sharla Costelow, Individually and as the Next Friend of E.C. and B.C., minors; George Costelow; Dorothy Costelow; Ronald W. Francis; Sandra Francis; David Francis; James Francis; Sarah Guana Esquivel; Lou Gunn; Mona Gunn; Anton J. Gunn; Jamal Gunn; Jason Gunn; Novella Wiggins; Diane McDaniels, Individually and as Next Friend of J.M., a minor; Fredericka McDaniels-Bess; Jesse Nieto; Jamie Owens, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend of I.M.O., a minor; Kenyon Embry; Teresa Smith; Hugh M. Palmer; Leroy Parlett; Etta Parlett, Individually and as Next Friend of H.P., a minor; Kera Parlett Miller; Matthew Parlett; Kate Brown; Sean Walsh; Kevin Roy; Olivia Rux; Rogelio Santiago; Simeona Santiago; Jacqueline Saunders, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend for J.T.S., a minor; Isley Gayle Saunders; Gary Swenchonis, Sr.; Deborah Swenchonis; Shalala Swenchonis-Wood; Lorie D. Triplett, Individually and as the Guardian of the Estate and Next Friend of A.T. and S.R.T., minors; Savannah Triplett; Freddie Triplett; Theodis Triplett; Kevin Triplett; Wayne Triplett; Thomas Wibberly; Patricia A. Wibberly; Toni Wibberly; Timothy P. Sceviour, as Personal Representative of the Estates of Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter, Richard Costelow, Lakeina Monique Francis, Timothy Lee Gauna, Cherone Louis Gunn, James Roderick McDaniels, Marc Ian Nieto, Ronald Scott Owens, Lakiba Nicole Palmer; Timothy P. Sceviour, as Personal Representative of the Estates of Joshua Langdon Parlett, Patrick Howard Roy, Kevin Shawn Rux, Ronchester Mananga Santiago, Timothy Lamont Saunders, Gary Graham Swenchonis, Jr., Andrew Triplett and Craig Bryan Wibberly, Plaintiffs-Appellants, and Reed Triplett, Plaintiff, and Ollesha Smith Jean; Jack Earl Swenson, Consolidated Plaintiffs, v. Republic of Sudan, Defendant-Appellee. United States of America, Amicus Supporting Appellee.

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

Decided: January 19, 2018.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

ARGUED: Christopher M. Curran , WHITE & CASE, LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellant/Cross-Appellee. Andrew C. Hall , HALL, LAMB, HALL & LETO, P.A., Miami, Florida, for Appellees/Cross-Appellants. Lewis Yelin , UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C., for Amicus United States of America. ON BRIEF: Nicole Erb , Claire A. DeLelle , WHITE & CASE LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellant/Cross-Appellant. Nelson M. Jones III , Houston, Texas; Kevin E. Martingayle , STALLINGS & BISCHOFF, P.C., Virginia Beach, Virginia; Roarke Maxwell , HALL, LAMB, HALL & LETO, P.A., Miami, Florida, for Appellees/Cross-Appellants. Chad A. Readler , Acting Assistant Attorney General, Sharon Swingle , Appellate Staff, Civil Division, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C.; Richard C. Visek , Acting Legal Adviser, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, D.C.; Dana J. Boente , United States Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Alexandria, Virginia, for Amicus United States of America.

Reversed in part, vacated in part, and remanded with instructions by published opinion. Judge Agee wrote the opinion, in which Judge Wilkinson and Judge Duncan concurred.


For over a decade, family members of United States sailors killed in the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole have pursued litigation in federal court against the Republic of Sudan for its alleged support of Al Qaeda, which was responsible for the bombing. This appeal arises from the latest suit wherein the district court denied...

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