Kadic v. Karadžić

Radovan Karadžić (defendant), president of the Bosnian-Serb republic within Bosnia-Herzegovina, allegedly ordered his troops to commit widespread human-rights atrocities against the Bosnian-Herzegovinian people. Kadic (plaintiff), a Bosnian-Herzegovinian citizen, sued Karadžić under the Alien Tort Act in the Southern District of New York. Karadžić was personally handed the summons and complaint while physically present in that district as a United Nations invitee, though not within the U.N. headquarters district itself. He moved to dismiss for insufficient service, lack of personal jurisdiction, and lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, arguing his U.N.-invitee status made him immune from service. The district court dismissed on subject-matter-jurisdiction grounds, and Kadic appealed.