Covington Scores Appellate Victory on Behalf of Chiquita

Covington Scores Appellate Victory on Behalf of Chiquita

7/24/2014

WASHINGTON, DC, July 24, 2014 — Covington & Burling on Thursday secured an appellate victory on behalf of Chiquita Brands International, Inc. and Chiquita Fresh North America LLC in long-running litigation brought by more than six thousand Colombian plaintiffs.

Beginning in 2008, these plaintiffs asserted claims against Chiquita under the Alien Tort Statute and the Torture Victim Protection Act. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled that U.S. courts do not have jurisdiction to hear those claims, overturning a Florida federal judge’s decision to allow the litigation to move forward.

“[W]e determine that the complaints do not state claims within the jurisdiction of the United States courts, and we reverse the denials of motions to dismiss and remand the matter for the entry of judgments of dismissal,” visiting Judge David B. Sentelle wrote in the opinion.

The Covington team included partners John Hall, Mark Mosier, Jonathan Sperling and James Garland, and associates Jose Arvelo, Jaclyn Martinez-Resley and Ashley Sprague.