Appeals Court Hears Arguments in 9/11 Lawsuits Against Saudi Arabia

Why it matters locally: New Jersey lost 750 residents in the 9/11 attacks, the second-highest casualty count of any state, making the outcome of these ongoing lawsuits of significant interest to families and communities across the state.

NEW YORK — A federal appeals court panel in New York heard arguments today in a long-running legal dispute involving Saudi Arabia and victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Three judges on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals listened to arguments regarding Saudi Arabia's effort to dismiss lawsuits filed against it. They did not indicate how they would rule on the matter. Hundreds of relatives of individuals killed in the attacks, along with survivors who sustained injuries, filed these lawsuits. They claim that certain employees of the Saudi government provided assistance to the hijackers who carried out the attacks. The proceedings represent a continuation of litigation that has spanned years. The current arguments focus on legal grounds for dismissing the case, rather than the merits of the plaintiffs' claims.