U.S. Supreme Court Shields Corporations From Human-Rights Suits

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that victims of overseas atrocities can’t use a centuries-old law to sue foreign corporations for complicity, blunting what once was a favorite legal tool for human-rights advocates.

The 5-4 ruling April 24, which divided the court along ideological lines, marks the second time in five years the high court has cut the reach of the 1789 Alien Tort Statute.

The latest ruling throws out a suit stemming from terrorist attacks in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Victims and family members accused Jordan-based Arab Bank Plc of using its New York branch to distribute millions of ...