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ANC-WR: Town-Hall Forum To Address Court Ruling On Genocide Ins.

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  • ANC-WR: Town-Hall Forum To Address Court Ruling On Genocide Ins.

    Armenian National Committee - Western Region
    104 North Belmont, Suite 200
    Glendale, California 91206
    Telephone: (818) 500-1918
    Facsimile: (818) 246-7353

    PRESS RELEASE

    For Immediate Release
    September 10, 2009
    Contact: Shant Hagopian

    TOWN-HALL DISCUSSION TO INFORM COMMUNITY OF IMPLICATIONS OF 9TH CIRCUIT
    COURT OF APPEALS DECISION REGARDING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LIFE INSURANCE
    RECOVERY LAW

    Community Briefing will Feature Mark Geragos, Harut Sassounian, Seto
    Boyadjian and Steve Dadaian

    GLENDALE, CA --- The Armenian National Committee Western Region (ANC-WR)
    Legal Research Task Force, in conjunction with the Armenian Youth Federation
    (AYF) Western Region, and the Shant Student Association, will be hosting a
    public briefing to inform, answer questions, and discuss the implications of
    the recent 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision regarding California's
    Armenian Genocide Life Insurance recovery law.

    The town-hall style community briefing will be held at St. Mary's Apostolic
    Church located at 500 S. Central Avenue inGlendale,
    California91204-2007,on September 23, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. A panel of experts
    and lawyers committed to appealing the court ruling will be present to
    address how current developments affect insurance claimants and what options
    the attorneys for the victims of the Armenian Genocide will explore next.

    On August 20, 2009, heirs claiming life insurance payments from the Armenian
    Genocide era were denied the right to sue insurance carriers for their long
    withheld policy benefits. The law entitling them to seek redress in
    California courts was struck down by the US Court of Appeals on the grounds
    of federal preemption. The underlying statute, California Code of Civil
    Procedure Section 345.5, allows claims to be filed against the insurers who
    have withheld policy proceeds from the heirs of Genocide victims since 1915.

    Panelists leading the discussion include Mark Geragos, one of three
    attorneys representing the genocide victims' heirs, ANCA National Board
    Member Seto Boyadjian, and attorney and community activist Steve Dadaian.
    The discussion will be moderated by Harout Sassounian, publisher of the
    California Courier.

    "Many Armenian Americans have been directly impacted by the 9th Circuit's
    decision," said Raffi Kassabian, ANC-WR activist. "The Court's ruling
    strikes at the very core of the Diaspora's efforts for proper genocide
    recognition and recovery of insurance policy proceeds. It is imperative that
    the community be further briefed on the implications of the Court's ruling."

    The event organizers are expecting a large audience for the briefing.

    "The future of this statute, and others like it, is significant for Armenian
    Genocide victims and their descendants," stated Vache Thomassian, AYF
    Western Region Chairman. "Thus far, it is the only procedure established for
    the Armenian Genocide victims to recover these long and wrongfully withheld
    assets. The Court's ruling will have a detrimental effect on Armenian
    American California residents and will set an erroneous precedent for future
    similar insurance claims."

    For more information on this event, please contact the ANC-WR office at
    (818) 500-1918 or [email protected].

    ####



    Haig Hovsepian
    Community Relations Director

    **************************************** ************************************
    **
    Armenian National Committee - Western Region
    104 North Belmont, Suite 200
    Glendale, California 91206
    Telephone: (818) 500-1918
    Mobile: (818) 859-2421
    Facsimile: (818) 246-7353
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