Filed Date: May 5, 2025
Closed Date: May 13, 2025
Clearinghouse coding complete
This case challenged an Executive Order signed by President Trump that imposed criminal and civil penalties on any U.S. person who provided services to or for the benefit of a sanctioned person at the International Criminal Court. On May 5, 2025, a U.S. citizen prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against President Donald Trump, the U.S. Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of State. The Plaintiff challenged Executive Order 14203, titled “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court.” In the EO, President Trump determined “that any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons, as defined in section 8(d) of this order, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States" and therefore declared a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Protected persons were defined as "a national of an ally of the United States," meaning a NATO member state or a "major non-NATO ally. President Trump later declared the Prosecutor of the ICC to be a sanctioned person.
The plaintiff challenged the EO, arguing that, with the designation of the prosecutor as a sanctioned person, he "face[d] the imminent risk of ruinous civil penalties imposed on a strict liability basis, and/or criminal penalties including millions of dollars in fines and twenty years’ imprisonment even if his professional activities relate only to prosecutions the United States has supported from their inception," given his interactions with the ICC Prosecutor. He alleged that the overbroad executive order exceeded presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and violated the First Amendment, and that the Department of the Treasury had not promptly acted on a request for an appropriate exemption for prosecutors working on matters involving non-US persons. Iverson also sought a temporary restraining order on May 5.
The case was assigned to District Judge Christopher R. Cooper, who set a hearing on the plaintiff's motion. However, on May 13, the plaintiff moved to voluntarily dismiss the case, since he had received a "specific license" that "mooted the need for the relief requested in [the] complaint." Therefore, the plaintiff moved to dismiss, which the court granted that same day.
The case is closed.
Summary Authors
Scott Shuchart (5/9/2025)
Jeremiah Price (6/18/2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70131495/parties/iverson-v-trump/
Cooper, Christopher Reid (District of Columbia)
Colangelo-Bryan, Joshua (District of Columbia)
Miller, Allison Ferber (District of Columbia)
Elliott, Stephen McCoy (District of Columbia)
Underwood, Ryan (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70131495/iverson-v-trump/
Last updated Aug. 21, 2025, 5:38 p.m.
State / Territory: District of Columbia
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 5, 2025
Closing Date: May 13, 2025
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
A US citizen working as a prosecutor of Darfur war crimes at the International Criminal Court
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
United States (- United States (national) -), Federal
Department of the Treasury (District of Columbia), Federal
Department of State (District of Columbia), Federal
Department of Justice (District of Columbia), Federal
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.: