Judge Cohn denies Sánchez de Lozada and Sánchez Berzaín's motions, ruling that plaintiffs established that the killings were unlawful under international law and thus extrajudicial, and that defendants were liable.

The appellate court vacates the trial court judge's decision to overrule the jury verdict and remands the case. The Eleventh Circuit also rules that the plaintiffs are entitled to a new trial on related wrongful-death claims because the district court abused its discretion in admitting certain evidence that was favorable to the defendants.

Plaintiffs-appellants file their opening brief on October 5, 2018. Amicus briefs in support of plaintiffs-appellants are filed by current and former UN Special Rapporteurs on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions on October 11, 2018 and by retired U.S. military commanders and law of war scholars on October 12, 2018. Defendants-appellees file their brief on January 4, 2019, and plaintiffs-appellants file their reply on February 25, 2019.

The jury finds that Sánchez de Lozada and Sánchez Berzaín were legally responsible for the extrajudicial killings and made decisions to deploy military forces in civilian communities in order to violently quash opposition to their policies. It awards the plaintiffs $10 million in compensatory damages.

The district court holds that plaintiffs have gathered sufficient evidence to proceed to trial, marking the first time that a former head of state will sit before his accusers in a civil human rights trial in a U.S. court.

Defendants file a petition for a writ of certiorari on December 2, 2016. Plaintiffs file their opposition brief on March 6, 2017, and defendants file their reply on March 22, 2017.

Both sides exchange documents and take depositions in the U.S. and Bolivia.

Judges Carnes, Tjoflat, and Sentelle rule in a unanimous decision that the TVPA claims are not barred because the plaintiffs received local remedies in Bolivia.

Judge Cohn grants the defendants' motion for certification for interlocutory appeal and stays the case on August 19, 2014. The Eleventh Circuit grants the defendants' petition for a second interlocutory appeal. Sánchez de Lozada and Sánchez Berzaín file their brief to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on January 14, 2015. CCR and co-counsel file our brief on behalf of our clients on March 6, 2015.  Military law scholars and international human rights law professors file amicus briefs on March 13, 2015. Oral argument is held on June 11, 2015.

Following the Supreme Court's decision in Kiobel, both sides file a consent motion to reopen the case on June 6, 2013. As the tenth anniversary of government-planned massacres in Bolivia approaches, we file an amended complaint on behalf of our clients with extensive new factual allegations linking the defendants to the killings, including evidence that the defendants had devised a plan to kill thousands of civilians months in advance of the violence.

The new complaint alleges that the defendants calculated it would take thousands of civilian deaths to stop anticipated protests over a controversial economic policy. They refused to consider dialogue, traditional police practices, or other less violent alternatives to massive lethal force against the protestors. The defendants specifically relied on military forces, including special forces, to target innocent civilians as part of their campaign of repression. New details also show how the defendants were intimately involved in carrying out the planned violence, including participating in the operations against the civilian population. Notwithstanding these facts, Sánchez de Lozada and Sánchez Berzaín have enjoyed safe harbor in the United States for nearly a decade.

Following the district court's ruling that the our claims were viable and could proceed, defendants file a notice of interlocutory appeal and a motion to stay pending appeal. On March 16, 2010, Judge Jordan grants the defendants' motion to stay the case pending appeal. The Eleventh Circuit then grants the defendants' petition for an interlocutory appeal.

In June 2008, the government of Bolivia waives any immunity that either of the defendants might claim, and in October 2008, the U.S. government accepts that waiver.