9/11 Lawsuit Against Saudi Arabia: Appeals Court Hears the Kingdom’s Bid to End It
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The 911 lawsuit against Saudi Arabia is back in the news because a federal appeals court in New York heard Saudi Arabia’s appeal on October 7, 2026. The question is narrow: can the kingdom be sued at all? No ruling has been issued, no trial has happened, and there is no settlement, no claim form and no deadline in this case.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Lawsuit Against Saudi Arabia Alleges
Families of people killed on September 11, 2001, injured survivors, insurers and businesses sued the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2003. The lawsuit alleges that employees of the Saudi government directly and knowingly assisted the hijackers and fueled al-Qaida’s growth by funding charities that supported it.
The core of the case today is narrower. Plaintiffs allege that two Saudi government employees helped two of the hijackers after they arrived in Los Angeles in January 2000 — including finding them an apartment in San Diego and co-signing their lease.
Saudi Arabia denies any involvement. It argues the men were not acting as its agents, that any help did not cause the attacks, and that it is immune from suit as a sovereign state. None of the allegations has been proven at trial.
Case Details
The claims are part of In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, MDL No. 1570 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, before Judge George B. Daniels, with Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn supervising discovery.
The plaintiffs rely on the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which Congress passed in 2016 over a presidential veto. It added an exception to foreign-state immunity, 28 U.S.C. § 1605B. The older terrorism exception (§ 1605A) covers only countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism, and Saudi Arabia has never been designated.
On August 28, 2025 Judge Daniels denied Saudi Arabia’s motion to dismiss. He found enough evidence that two Saudi employees acted within the scope of their employment when they assisted two hijackers. He did not rule on the merits. Saudi Arabia appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Status: Appeal Argued, No Ruling, No Settlement
Until the panel rules, Judge Daniels’ refusal to dismiss remains the operative decision. If it is upheld, the case could move toward a trial on liability. If it is reversed, the claims against Saudi Arabia could end.
There is no Saudi Arabia settlement, no fund, no administrator, no claim form and no deadline. Separately, families also asked the appeals court to order the government to release documents they say link the Saudi government to the plot.
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Who Is Suing, and Is This a Class Action?
The plaintiffs are hundreds of relatives of people killed on 9/11, injured survivors, and insurance companies and businesses that suffered losses. They brought their own suits, which are coordinated in one multidistrict proceeding before Judge Daniels.
This is not a Saudi Arabia class action. The Saudi Arabia lawsuit is a collection of individual claims. There is no class you are automatically part of, and nobody can “add” you to it by filling in a form. Each claimant is a named plaintiff in a filed case. Whether someone who has not sued could still bring a claim is a legal question for a licensed attorney, not something a website can answer.
Other defendants in the same proceeding — including Iran, the Taliban and al-Qaida — have already been found in default.
Money: What Exists and What Does Not
The money 9/11 families actually receive in this area comes from a different source: the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSST), run by the Justice Department under 34 U.S.C. § 20144. It pays people who hold court judgments against designated state sponsors of terrorism — for 9/11 families, typically judgments against Iran. Because Saudi Arabia has never been designated, this lawsuit is not a path into the fund.
On January 7, 2026 the fund’s Special Master authorized $2.825 billion for nearly 22,000 eligible claimants, bringing its total to over $10 billion. The Justice Department says the money is not sufficient to pay claims in full. Future rounds depend on available funds; an advocacy group told Fox News in September 2026 that the fund had “run dry.” Official details are at usvsst.com.
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 111,990 other personal injury casesclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025, 3.6% of them filed as class actions:
- 39.9% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 13.8% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 39.9% and 53.7%.
- 5.7% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 106 reached a trial (0.9%), after a median of 23.9 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 9 months.
- Only 771 of them (0.7%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $500,000.
These are base rates for this type of case (federal other personal injury cases) — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
Saudi Arabia 9/11 Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
2003 — Families Sue Saudi Arabia
Victims, their representatives and companies sue the kingdom, alleging it assisted the hijackers. Saudi Arabia moves to dismiss on immunity grounds in 2004.
- 2
2016 — Congress Passes JASTA
Over a presidential veto, Congress creates a new exception to foreign-state immunity so the 9/11 claims can move forward.
- 3
March 2018 — Case Allowed to Proceed
Judge Daniels refuses to dismiss the claims against Saudi Arabia and orders jurisdictional discovery. He dismisses claims against two Saudi banks and a construction company.
- 4
August 28, 2025 — Motion to Dismiss Denied
After years of discovery, Judge Daniels finds enough evidence that two Saudi employees acted within their employment in helping two hijackers. Saudi Arabia appeals.
- 5
October 7, 2026 — Second Circuit Hears the Appeal
A three-judge panel questions both sides for about 90 minutes, focusing on jurisdiction rather than the merits, and takes the case under advisement.
- 6
As of October 2026 — Waiting for a Ruling
No appellate decision, no trial date, no settlement and no claim form. Lawyers expect a ruling in early 2027 at the earliest.
Three Things to Watch For
The appeal hearing and the 25th anniversary put this case in the headlines. That attention attracts imposters:
“Claim your Saudi 9/11 settlement” offers
There is no settlement with Saudi Arabia and no claims portal. Any site or message asking for your bank details or Social Security number to “release your share” is not connected to the court.
Callers posing as the USVSST Fund
The Justice Department warns that the fund never charges a fee — if you are asked to pay one, it is fraud. Only deal with fund representatives you have already been in contact with, and check details at usvsst.com.
“Join the Saudi Arabia class action” sign-ups
This is not a class action, so there is nothing to join by form. Anyone asking you to sign papers to become a plaintiff is asking for a legal retainer — read it as one, not as a registration.
9/11 Lawsuit Against Saudi Arabia — Questions People Ask
What is the 911 lawsuit against Saudi Arabia about?
Families, survivors, insurers and businesses allege that Saudi government employees helped 9/11 hijackers and that the kingdom funded charities supporting al-Qaida. Saudi Arabia denies involvement. The case is In re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, MDL No. 1570, in federal court in Manhattan.
What happened on October 7, 2026?
The Second Circuit heard Saudi Arabia’s appeal of the August 28, 2025 ruling that denied its motion to dismiss. The judges did not rule from the bench and gave no timetable. Lawyers in the case expect a decision in early 2027 at the earliest.
Has Saudi Arabia been found responsible for 9/11?
No. The 2025 ruling only held that the kingdom is not immune from these claims. Judge Daniels did not decide the merits, and the plaintiffs would still have to prove liability at trial.
Is there a Saudi Arabia settlement or a claim form?
No. As of October 8, 2026 there is no settlement, no fund, no administrator, no claim form and no deadline in the lawsuit against Saudi Arabia.
Is this a class action I can join?
No. The plaintiffs filed their own suits, which are coordinated in one multidistrict proceeding. There is no class to sign up for. Whether a new claim is still possible is a question for a licensed attorney.
What is the USVSST Fund, and does it pay 9/11 families?
It is a Justice Department fund that pays people holding judgments against designated state sponsors of terrorism. Congress made 9/11 estates, spouses and dependents eligible in 2019. On January 7, 2026 it authorized $2.825 billion for nearly 22,000 claimants. It is separate from the Saudi case, because Saudi Arabia has never been designated.
I missed a USVSST deadline. Is anything changing?
Possibly, but nothing is law yet. On July 16, 2026 Reps. Goldman and Nadler introduced the No 9/11 Family Left Behind Act. It would create catch-up payments for 9/11 families excluded for missing the February 19, 2020 deadline — by their estimate about 150 families. Until it passes, it changes nothing.
Why did Saudi Arabia get to appeal before any trial?
A foreign state claiming immunity argues it should not have to stand trial at all, so the immunity question is decided first. Until the Second Circuit rules, Judge Daniels’ refusal to dismiss remains in effect.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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