U.S. Court Of Appeals References U.S. Supreme Court Decision In Dismissing Libertad Act Lawsuit Against UK Companies
/Opinion of the Court 24-11487
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
D.C. Docket No. 1:20-cv-23287-DPG
Before JORDAN, NEWSOM, Circuit Judges, and HONEYWELL, District Judge. NEWSOM, Circuit Judge:
The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996, 22 U.S.C. §§ 6021–6091—more commonly known as the Helms-Burton Act—imposes liability on any person that “traffics” in property that was confiscated by the Cuban government on or after January 1, 1959, and to which a U.S. national has a claim. The plaintiffs in this case are seven U.S. nationals and descendants of Ramón Rodriguez Gutiérrez, who owned property confiscated by the Cuban government in 1961. The plaintiffs sued several corporations alleging that they had “traffic[ked]” in that property within the meaning of the Helms-Burton Act. The district court granted the corporations’ respective motions to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. As relevant here, the plaintiffs now appeal the dismissal of their claims against two British corporations—Imperial Brands and WPP. Doing our best to apply the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization, 606 U.S. 1 (2025), we hold that the federal courts lack personal jurisdiction over WPP and Imperial, and we therefore affirm the district court’s dismissal of the plaintiffs’ complaint.
LINK TO OPINION IN PDF FORMAT
LUIS MANUEL RODRIGUEZ, MARIA TERESA RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a MARIA TERESA LANDA, ALFREDO RAMON FORNS, RAMON ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ, RAUL LORENZO RODRIGUEZ, CHRISTINA CONROY, and FRANCISCO RAMON RODRIGUEZ, Plaintiffs, v. IMPERIAL BRANDS PLC, CORPORACIÓN HABANOS, S.A., WPP PLC, YOUNG & RUBICAM LLC, and BCW LLC, a/k/a BURSON COHN & WOLFE LLC [1:20-cv-23287; Southern Florida District].
Berenthal & Associates (plaintiff)
Rodriguez Tramont & Nunez (plaintiff)
Nelson Mullins (defendant)
Allen & Overy (defendant)
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (defendant)
Broad & Cassel (defendant)
Akerman (defendant)
Trenam, Kemker, Scharf, Barkin, Frye, O’Neill & Mullis (defendant)
Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Lieberman (defendant)
Strook & Strook & Lavan (defendant)
Termed: 07/23/2026
Nature of Suit: 3890 Other Statutory Actions
Luis Rodriguez, et al v. Imperial Brands, PLC., et al
Appeal From: Southern District of Florida
Fee Status: Fee Paid
Case Type Information:
1) Private Civil
2) Federal Question
Originating Court Information:
District: 113C-1 : 1:20-cv-23287-DPG
10/17/2025- Appellee's Supplemental Brief filed by Appellee Imperial Brands, PLC.. [24-11487] (ECF: Andrew Davies)
10/20/2025- Received paper copies of Appellant Supplemental brief [4 copies ] for Appellant Luis Manuel Rodriguez.
10/22/2025- Received paper copies of Appellees Supplemental Brief [4 copies] for Appellees BCW, LLC., Corporacion Habanos, S.A., Imperial Brands, PLC., WPP, PLC. and Young & Rubicam, LLC.
06/03/2026- Supplemental Authority filed by Appellants Christina Conroy, Alfredo Ramon Forns, Frank R. Rodriguez, Luis Manuel Rodriguez, Maria Rodriguez and Ramon Alberto Rodriguez. [24-11487] (ECF: Charles Auslander)
06/05/2026- Response to Supplemental Authority (28J) filed by Appellee Imperial Brands, PLC.. [24-11487] (ECF: Andrew Davies)
06/05/2026- Response to Supplemental Authority (28J) filed by Appellees BCW, LLC., WPP, PLC. and Young & Rubicam, LLC.. [24-11487] (ECF: Mark Fleming)
06/25/2026- Supplemental Authority filed by Appellants Christina Conroy, Alfredo Ramon Forns, Frank R. Rodriguez, Luis Manuel Rodriguez, Maria Rodriguez and Ramon Alberto Rodriguez. [24-11487] (ECF: Charles Auslander)
06/29/2026- Response to Supplemental Authority (28J) filed by Appellee Imperial Brands, PLC.. [24-11487] (ECF: Andrew Davies)
07/23/2026- Opinion issued by court as to Appellants Christina Conroy, Alfredo Ramon Forns, Frank R. Rodriguez, Luis Manuel Rodriguez, Maria Rodriguez, Ramon Alberto Rodriguez and Raul Rodriguez. Decision: Affirmed. Opinion type: Published. Opinion method: Signed. The opinion is also available through the Court's Opinions page at this link http://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions.
07/23/2026- Judgment entered as to Appellants Christina Conroy, Alfredo Ramon Forns, Frank R. Rodriguez, Luis Manuel Rodriguez, Maria Rodriguez, Ramon Alberto Rodriguez and Raul Rodriguez.
