No. 18-1447

Republic of Hungary, et al. v. Rosalie Simon, et al.

Lower Court: District of Columbia
Docketed: 2019-05-20
Status: Judgment Issued
Type: Paid
CVSGAmici (7)Relisted (4) Experienced Counsel
Tags: choice-of-forum comity-interest exhaustion-of-local-remedies exhaustion-of-remedies foreign-sovereign-immunities-act foreign-sovereign-immunity forum-non-conveniens international-comity naturalized-citizens world-war-ii-property-claims
Key Terms:
Immigration JusticiabilityDoctri ClassAction
Latest Conference: 2020-07-01 (distributed 4 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the district court must abstain from exercising jurisdiction under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act for reasons of international comity where plaintiffs did not exhaust local remedies

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED 1. May the district court abstain from exercising jurisdiction under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act for reasons of international comity, where former Hungarian nationals have sued the nation of Hungary to recover the value of property lost in Hungary during World War II, and where the plaintiffs made no attempt to exhaust local Hungarian remedies? 2. In a forum non conveniens analysis, (a) is the district court required to defer to plaintiffs’ choice of a U.S. forum where the case’s sole connection to the United States is that some named _ plaintiffs (representing a putative worldwide class) became naturalized citizens after the time relevant to the complaint; and (b) is the district court permitted to defer to a foreign sovereign defendant’s comity interest in hosting claims in its own courts, where plaintiffs allege the sovereign defendant harmed its own nationals on its own soil and plaintiffs have not exhausted local remedies?

Docket Entries

2021-03-08
JUDGMENT ISSUED.
2021-02-03
Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED for further proceedings consistent with the decision in <i>Federal Republic of Germany</i> v. <i>Philipp</i>, 592 U.S. ____ (2021). <a href = 'https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/18-1447_igkn.pdf'>Opinion</a> per curiam.
2020-12-07
Argued. For petitioners: Gregory Silbert, New York, N. Y.; and Benjamin W. Snyder, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondents: Sarah E. Harrington, Bethesda, Md.
2020-11-23
Reply of petitioners Republic of Hungary, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2020-11-09
Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED.
2020-10-29
Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.
2020-10-29
Brief amici curiae of American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists and other adovcates for Holocaust restitution filed. (Distributed)
2020-10-29
Brief amici curiae of Victims of the Hungarian Holocaust filed. (Distributed)
2020-10-29
Brief amici curiae of Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and Professor Irwin Cotler filed. (Distributed)
2020-10-29
Proposal of amici curiae the World Jewish Congress, Commission for Art Recovery, and Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder to lodge materials under Rule 32.3 filed.
2020-10-27
Brief amicus curiae of Former State Department Attorney Mark B. Feldman filed. (Distributed)
2020-10-27
CIRCULATED
2020-10-22
2020-10-19
Record received from the U.S.C.A. D.C. Circuit is electronic and located on PACER, some of the record has been electronically filed.
2020-10-08
Record requested from the U.S.C.A. District of Columbia Circuit.
2020-09-16
SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, December 7, 2020.
2020-09-11
Motion of Davis R. Robinson, Abraham D. Sofaer, David P. Stewart, and Edwin Williamson to Consider Brief of Amici Curiae Filed By Movants in Germany v. Phillip, No. 19-351 as an Amici Curiae Brief in This Case filed by Davis R. Robinson, et al.
2020-09-11
Proposal of petitioners to lodge non-record materials pursuant to Sup. Ct. R. 32.3 filed.
2020-09-11
Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
2020-09-04
Brief of petitioners Republic of Hungary, et al. filed.
2020-09-04
Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed)
2020-08-04
Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, Republic of Hungary, et al.
2020-07-30
Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Simon, Rosalie, et al.
2020-07-30
Motion to extend the time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix and petitioners' brief on the merits is extended to and including September 4, 2020. The time to file respondents' brief on the merits is extended to and including October 22, 2020.
2020-07-28
Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.
2020-07-02
Petition GRANTED limited to Question 1 presented by the petition.
2020-06-29
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 7/1/2020.
2020-06-09
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/25/2020.
2020-06-08
Supplemental brief of petitioners Republic of Hungary, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2020-06-08
Supplemental brief of respondents Simon, Rosalie, et al. filed. (Distributed)
2020-05-26
Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.
2020-01-21
The Solicitor General is invited to file a brief in this case expressing the views of the United States.
2019-12-30
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/17/2020.
2019-09-19
Rescheduled.
2019-08-07
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/1/2019.
2019-08-06
Reply of petitioners Republic of Hungary, et al. filed.
2019-07-23
Brief of respondents Simon, Rosalie, et al. in opposition filed.
2019-06-07
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including July 23, 2019.
2019-06-03
Motion to extend the time to file a response from June 19, 2019 to July 23, 2019, submitted to The Clerk.
2019-05-16
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due June 19, 2019)

Attorneys

American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists and other adovcates for Holocaust restitution
Arthur Richter TraldiAndreozzi & Foote, Amicus
Arthur Richter TraldiAndreozzi & Foote, Amicus
Davis R. Robinson, et al.
James Harold HulmeArent Fox LLP, Amicus
James Harold HulmeArent Fox LLP, Amicus
Former State Department Attorney Mark B. Feldman
Mark B. FeldmanAttorney At Law, Amicus
Mark B. FeldmanAttorney At Law, Amicus
Holocaust Survivors Foundation, USA, Inc., Renee Firestone, David Mermelstein, David Schaecter, Klaire Firestone, Thomas Weiss, M.D., And Naomi Vilko, M.D.
Samuel J. DubbinDubbin & Kravetz, LLP, Amicus
Samuel J. DubbinDubbin & Kravetz, LLP, Amicus
Members of the United States House of Representatives
Akiva ShapiroGibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Amicus
Akiva ShapiroGibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Amicus
Professor William S. Dodge and Professor Maggie Gardner
Geoffrey Morris KlinebergKellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C., Amicus
Geoffrey Morris KlinebergKellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C., Amicus
Professors Samuel Estreicher And Thomas H. Lee
Amelia Lynn Borrego SargentWillenken LLP, Amicus
Amelia Lynn Borrego SargentWillenken LLP, Amicus
Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and Professor Irwin Cotler
Beth HeifetzJones Day, Amicus
Beth HeifetzJones Day, Amicus
Republic of Hungary, et al.
Gregory SilbertWeil Gotshal & Manges LLP, Petitioner
Gregory SilbertWeil Gotshal & Manges LLP, Petitioner
Simon, Rosalie, et al.
Paul G. GastonSuite 607, Respondent
Paul G. GastonSuite 607, Respondent
Sarah Elaine HarringtonGoldstein & Russell, P.C., Respondent
Sarah Elaine HarringtonGoldstein & Russell, P.C., Respondent
Societe Nationale SNCF SA
John Bellinger Bellinger IIIArnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, Amicus
John Bellinger Bellinger IIIArnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP, Amicus
The 1939 Society, Michael Bazyler, Bet Tzedek, Center for the Study of Law & Genocide at LMU Loyola Law School, and The Holocaust Education Center in the Desert, Inc. d/b/a Tolerance Education Center
Benjamin Gross ShatzManatt, Phelps, & Phillips, LLP, Amicus
Benjamin Gross ShatzManatt, Phelps, & Phillips, LLP, Amicus
The World Jewish Congress, Commission for Art Recovery, and Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder
Thomas Russell KlineCultural Heritage Partners, PLLC, Amicus
Thomas Russell KlineCultural Heritage Partners, PLLC, Amicus
United States
Elizabeth B. PrelogarActing Solicitor General, Amicus
Elizabeth B. PrelogarActing Solicitor General, Amicus
Victims of the Hungarian Holocaust
Robert J. PavichPavich Law Group, P.C., Amicus
Robert J. PavichPavich Law Group, P.C., Amicus