# Can I SUE Saddam Hussein? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129 "2003-04-16T18:03:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/1 "2003-04-16T18:03:21Z")
The (hopefully) late S. Hussein reportedly left an estate worth many billions of dollars. Much of this money is in swiss bank accounts or offshore banks. My question: can I sue his estate for part of this, and what are my chances of recovery? Any hungry lawyers out there want me as a client? I can’t divulge the nature of my loss just yet(this would let the cat out of the bag), but with this kind of money at stake, I think the time isright. Will I have to file my suit at the Hague? (ICJ):eek: ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/2 "2003-04-16T18:09:47Z")
It’s impossible to determine your odds without knowing anything about your claim. It’s also very hard to get a lawyer that way, too. ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/3 "2003-04-16T19:34:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Any hungry lawyers out there want me as a client? No. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/4 "2003-04-16T19:58:57Z")
I imagine the vast majority of seized assets will go back to the new Iraqi government. And I imagine that in most cases you’d have to sue for damages in Iraq. Good luck on that. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/5 "2003-04-16T20:23:04Z")
Unless you have some sort of actual injury at the hands of Saddam Hussein, I think it would be morally repugnant to attempt to cash in on his estate, which was basically stolen from the collective wealth of the Iraqi people for a quarter of a century. ---
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/6 "2003-04-16T20:43:08Z")
I’m making some assumptions from your OP, but it doesn’t sound like you have sufferred directly from Hussein’s actions. Correct me if I’m wrong, IANAL, but generally you can’t sue some-one who hasn’t done you any harm. Unless you are an Iraqi refugee or the relative of one of the victims of Halabja, you are going to have a _verrrrrry_ tenous claim that Saddam did you, personally, any harm. If you want to claim a class-action, you have to demonstrate that there is a class of persons that were harmed by the defendant and that you are the member of that class. Being forced to watch Fox News and CNN is not enough. A real lawyer can provide a real answer, but that’s a (very) basic take on it. ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/7 "2003-04-16T20:56:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Will I have to file my suit at the Hague? (ICJ) Also, unless you are a country rather than a person, you can’t sue at the ICJ: > [@](#): > > [Functions of the Court](http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/igeneralinformation/icjgnnot.html) > The Court has a dual role: to settle in accordance with international law the legal disputes submitted to it by States, and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized international organs and agencies. >    … > The Parties > Only States may apply to and appear before the Court. The Member States of the United Nations (at present numbering 191) are so entitled. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-sue-saddam-hussein/169129/8 "2003-04-16T23:31:29Z")
Well? Did he hit your car or something?