Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 May 2020
On August 9, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decided United States v. Assa Co. The decision is significant for its holding that a civil forfeiture action in rem concerning property of a foreign state or its instrumentality is not an action against the foreign state or instrumentality for purposes of the jurisdictional and immunity provisions of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA).
1 934 F.3d 185 (2d Cir. 2019).
2 28 U.S.C. §§ 1601 et seq.
3 Assa, supra note 1 at 187.
4 Id.
5 See 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A), (C).
6 In re 650 Fifth Ave., 2013 WL 5178677 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 16, 2013). The district court held that certain property owned by the Alavi Foundation was not subject to forfeiture. This note does not address that complexity.
7 See 28 U.S.C. § 1345.
8 See 28 U.S.C. § 1355.
9 Assa, supra note 1 at 188–89 (citing 28 U.S.C. §§ 1330(a) and 1604).
10 Id. at 189 (emphasis in original).
11 Argentine Republic v. Amerada Hess Shipping Corp., 488 U.S. 428, 434.
12 Assa, supra note 1 at 189.
13 Id.
14 28 U.S.C. § 1609.
15 Assa, supra note 1 at 189.
16 Id. (citing H.R. Rep. No. 94-1487, at 27 (1976), as reprinted in 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6604, 6626).
17 See 28 U.S.C. § 1330(b).
18 28 U.S.C. § 1610(d)(2); see also William S. Dodge & Ingrid Wuerth, Second Circuit Gets Civil Forfeiture Under The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act Wrong, Just Security (Aug. 23, 2019), https://www.justsecurity.org/65934/second-circuit-gets-civil-forfeiture-under-the-foreign-sovereign-immunities-act-wrong/.
19 See Murray v. The Schooner Charming Betsy, 6 U.S. (2 Cranch) 64, 118 (1804).
20 See generally Assa, supra note 1.
21 See Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Ger. v. It.), Judgment, 2012 I.C.J. Rep. 99, ¶ 113 (Feb. 3).
22 See Restatement (Fourth) of the Foreign Relations Law of the United States § 464 rptr's n. 16 (2018).
23 See Certain Iranian Assets (Iran v. U.S.), Judgment (Feb. 13, 2019), https://www.icj-cij.org/files/case-related/164/164-20190213-JUD-01-00-EN.pdf (decision on preliminary objections, giving background to the dispute).
24 See Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights, Iran-U.S., Aug. 15, 1955, 8 U.S.T. 899.
25 Assa, supra note 1 at 190.