Verlinden Bv v. Central Bank of Nigeria

Decided May 23, 1983. Warren Earl Burger delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 81-920 · 461 U.S. 480 (1983) · Cited 1,062 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 9–0.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Osborn v. Bank of United States · 22 U.S. 738 (1824)
• The Propeller Genesee Chief v. Fitzhugh · 53 U.S. 443 (1852)
• Ex Parte Republic of Peru · 318 U.S. 578 (1943)
• Republic of Mexico v. Hoffman · 324 U.S. 30 (1945)
• Shoshone Mining Co. v. Rutter · 177 U.S. 505 (1900)
• Powell v. McCormack · 395 U.S. 486 (1969)
• Textile Workers v. Lincoln Mills of Ala. · 353 U.S. 448 (1957)
• Gully v. First Nat. Bank in Meridian · 299 U.S. 109 (1936)
• Louisville & Nashville Railroad v. Mottley · 211 U.S. 149 (1908)
• Romero v. International Terminal Operating Co. · 358 U.S. 354 (1959)
• Kline v. Burke Construction Co. · 260 U.S. 226 (1922)
• Banco Nacional De Cuba v. Sabbatino · 376 U.S. 398 (1964)
• Alfred Dunhill of London, Inc. v. Republic of Cuba · 425 U.S. 682 (1976)
• Zschernig v. Miller · 389 U.S. 429 (1968)
• Berizzi Brothers Co. v. SS Pesaro · 271 U.S. 562 (1926)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Republic of Austria v. Altmann · 541 U.S. 677 (2004)
• Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela v. Helmerich & Payne Int'l Drilling Co. · 581 U.S. 170 (2017)
• Opati v. Republic of Sudan · 590 U.S. 418 (2020)
• Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations v. City of New York · 551 U.S. 193 (2007)
• Turkiye Halk Bankasi A.S. v. United States · 598 U.S. 264 (2023)
• CC/Devas (Mauritius) Ltd. v. Antrix Corp. · 605 U.S. 223 (2025)
• Samantar v. Yousuf · 560 U.S. 305 (2010)
• Republic of Philippines v. Pimentel · 553 U.S. 851 (2008)
• Bank Markazi v. Peterson · 578 U.S. 212 (2016)
• Argentine Republic v. Amerada Hess Shipping Corp. · 488 U.S. 428 (1989)
• Mesa v. California · 489 U.S. 121 (1989)
• Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma v. Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. · 523 U.S. 751 (1998)
• Saudi Arabia v. Nelson · 507 U.S. 349 (1993)
• First National City Bank v. Banco Para El Comercio Exterior De Cuba · 462 U.S. 611 (1983)
• Osborn v. Haley · 549 U.S. 225 (2007)
• Michigan v. Bay Mills Indian Community · 572 U.S. 782 (2014)
• Dole Food Co. v. Patrickson · 538 U.S. 468 (2003)
• Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. v. Hyatt · 587 U.S. 230 (2019)
• Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Christian · 590 U.S. 1 (2020)
• Jam v. International Finance Corp. · 586 U.S. 199 (2019)
• Upper Skagit Tribe v. Lundgren · 584 U.S. 554 (2018)
• Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Inc. v. Thompson Ex Rel. Thompson · 478 U.S. 804 (1986)
• Republic of Argentina v. Weltover, Inc. · 504 U.S. 607 (1992)
• Finley v. United States · 490 U.S. 545 (1989)
• Gutierrez De Martinez v. Lamagno · 515 U.S. 417 (1995)
• American National Red Cross v. S. G. · 505 U.S. 247 (1992)
• Republic of Iraq v. Beaty · 556 U.S. 848 (2009)
• Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. v. Construction Laborers Vacation Trust for Southern Cal. · 463 U.S. 1 (1983)
• Pennsylvania v. Union Gas Co. · 491 U.S. 1 (1989)
• United States Department of Energy v. Ohio · 503 U.S. 607 (1992)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).