Lawyers for James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen say they were contractors and the CIA was responsible for the interrogations.
But the American Civil Liberties Union says the psychologists should be held accountable for the methods they crafted following the Sept. 11 terror attacks, including waterboarding and beatings.
Both sides will appear Friday before a federal judge in Spokane, Washington. The outcome of the arguments in U.S. District Court will determine whether the lawsuit goes to trial, set for September.