Opinion ID: 186111
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Appointment of Amicus Curiae and the Issues on Appeal

Text: 20 Because Iran has never entered an appearance in this litigation, the court appointed the Georgetown University Law Center's Appellate Litigation Program as amicus curiae to present arguments in support of the District Court's judgment.  21 The court also ordered the parties to brief and argue, inter alia, the following issues: 22 `Whether the FSIA creates a federal cause of action for torture and hostage taking against foreign states,' or only against their `official[s], employee[s] or agent[s]' as specified in the [Flatow] Amendment, an issue raised but not decided in Price v. Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, 294 F.3d 82 (D.C.Cir.2002). 23 Whether Cicippio's children and siblings may sue for intentional infliction of emotional distress and loss of solatium. 24 Whether appellants who seek to recover for emotional distress based on conduct directed at a third party must have been present at the time of the offending conduct, and, if so, whether appellants satisfied this presence requirement. 25 Cicippio-Puleo v. Islamic Republic of Iran, No. 02-7085 (D.C.Cir. July 9, 2003) (order appointing amicus curiae ). 26 Subsequently, the court granted the motion of Blake Kilburn et al. (Kilburn amici ), plaintiffs in other lawsuits in the district court against foreign states, for leave to participate as amici curiae. Cicippio-Puleo v. Islamic Republic of Iran, No. 02-7085 (D.C.Cir. July 31, 2003) (order granting motion for leave to participate as amici curiae ). 27