Supreme Court Limits Scope of Alien Tort Statute, Bars New Judicially Created Causes of Action

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that federal courts may not create new causes of action for violations of international norms under the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). The 5-4 decision in *Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe* affirmed that the ATS is a jurisdictional statute and that creating new causes of action is an 'extraordinary act that places great stress on the separation of powers.' The ruling also addressed aiding and abetting liability under the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 (TVPA).