Shell, which denies any wrongdoing, now argues that the Alien Tort Act should not apply to corporations, even American ones, and furthermore should not cover violations committed outside American jurisdiction.

ECONOMIST: A review of extreme extraterritoriality

The law under which Mr Karadzic has been sued is known as the Alien Tort Claims Act, originally a part of the Judiciary Act of 1789.

ECONOMIST: The law

After all, claims under the Alien Tort Claims Act usually end with a massive default judgment after the defendant skips the country, never to pay up.

ECONOMIST: The law