The US Supreme Court is scheduled to issue its decision next week on whether to review an earlier Ninth Circuit Court decision striking down a California law, which would allow Armenian Americans to pursue Genocide-era life insurance claims. The Court will be reviewing petitions filed over the summer at their September 24 conference before publicly issuing their decisions soon after, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
Last month, U.S. Federal and State legislators filed an amicus brief in support of the Armenian American plaintiffs’ petition to the Supreme Court to review the flawed decision.
Snell & Wilmer LLP, led by appellate partner and Counsel of Record Mary-Christine Sungaila and associate attorney Seepan Parseghian, prepared the legislators’ amicus brief on a pro bono basis.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Howard Berman (D-CA) explained, “This brief advances what the State of California tried to do – ensure rightful compensation . . . from insurance companies that issued policies prior to the Armenian Genocide. I stand by the Armenian-American community in their quest for justice.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) noted, “The Ninth Circuit erred in its rulings on the appeal and if not corrected by the Supreme Court, would set a dangerous precedent for other states .”
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) stated, “I am pleased to join the amicus brief petitioning the Supreme Court to review the Armenian Genocide-era life insurance case. We should uphold the important California law that protects the property rights of Americans who were wrongly denied life insurance benefits during and after the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. “
Other amicus briefs were filed in support of plaintiffs’ petition to the Supreme Court, including a filing by the Attorneys General from the States of California, Michigan, Nevada, and Rhode Island.
