Geoffrey Hansen, et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran, et al. — D.C. Cir. (argued September 10, 2026)
The D.C. Circuit considers whether Iran's 2020 missile attack on al-Asad Air Base can count as an extrajudicial killing under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act when a servicemember later died by suicide after a traumatic brain injury. The district court dismissed the suit, holding that the Act's terrorism exception did not overcome Iran's immunity. The appeal turns on whether the statutory word killing can include suicide and whether the attack was close enough in the causal chain to the servicemember's death.
Geoffrey Hansen, et al. v. Islamic Republic of Iran, et al. (No. 24-7101) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, argued September 10, 2026.
Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (public domain, 17 U.S.C. § 105):https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/recordings/docs/2026/09/24-7101.mp3
Argument listing — U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit:https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/recordings/bydate/2026/9
District court memorandum opinion — GovInfo:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-dcd-1_22-cv-00477/pdf/USCOURTS-dcd-1_22-cv-00477-0.pdf
Appellate docket — Justia:https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/cadc/24-7101
Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act § 1605A — U.S. House Office of the Law Revision Counsel:https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title28-section1605A&num=0&edition=prelim
Eliana R. “Eli” Werbel — University of Georgia School of Law:https://www.law.uga.edu/news/79857
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:55Joshua Perles — Plaintiffs
- 13:50Eli Werbel — Supporting the Judgment