CONFLICT OF LAWS
Final Examination, Summer 2002
QUESTION I
240 raw points, 60 per cent
The hypothetical is based on the case of
Kuwait Airways Corp. v. Iraqi Airways Co., [2002] UKHL 19.
Where may suit be filed?
| Defendant may be sued wherever it may be found and served |
6 points _______ |
That would include Iraq |
6 points _______ |
And that would include the United Kingdom |
6 points _______ |
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| Service may be had on an appointed agent for service of process |
6 points _______ |
| Or service may be made on ticket-counter personnel |
6 points _______ |
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| Defendant may also be sued wherever it has sufficient minimum contact |
6 points _______ |
for specific or general longarm jurisdiction |
6 points _______ |
This would include Israel |
6 points _______ |
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| Defendant may be sued via quasi in rem jurisdiction |
6 points _______ |
wherever its aircraft may be found on the tarmac |
6 points _______ |
or wherever it maintains bank accounts |
6 points _______ |
or wherever credit card issuers maintain offices |
6 points _______ |
Where should suit be filed?
| If Israel likes Iraq, Israel is gonna love the justice there |
6 points _______ |
| Nor is suit in the courts of Israel a very good idea |
6 points _______ |
The defendant has no assets in Israel |
6 points _______ |
An Israeli judgment will be difficult to make executory elsewhere |
6 points _______ |
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| File suit in London (or any other major city that Iraqi Airways serves) |
6 points _______ |
The forum non conveniens issue
| The defense will plead forum non conveniens |
6 points _______ |
London (or any major city) is equally accessible to both sides |
6 points _______ |
| London is a fair forum where both sides may have an impartial trial |
6 points _______ |
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| There is no better country to which the case could be transferred |
6 points _______ |
El Al Israel Airways cannot get a fair trial in Iraq |
6 points _______ |
Iraqi Airways Company cannot get a fair trial in Israel |
6 points _______ |
Out-of-the-box solution
| Wait 'till they have several planes on the ground in London, and attach them |
6 points _______ |
| Once their planes are seized in rem, the defendant is forced to answer |
6 points _______ |
and plaintiff will then obtain in personam jurisdiction as well |
6 points _______ |
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| The first $100 million or so of the judgment will be easy to enforce |
6 points _______ |
as you have already attached their airplanes |
6 points _______ |
| The British quasi in rem equivalent is known as a Mareva injunction |
Extra points _______ |
What substantive law will the court apply?
| Discussion of governmental interests or comparative impairment |
6 points _______ |
Discussion of center-of-gravity or grouping of contacts |
6 points _______ |
| Discussion of lex locus delicti or vested rights approach |
6 points _______ |
Britain used lex locus delicti in Kuwait Airways |
6 points _______ |
Iraqi law was applied by the British court |
6 points _______ |
Kuwaiti (Israeli) law could just as easily have been applied |
6 points _______ |
What Iraqi law applies, or will Resolution 369 be given comity?
| The defense will argue act-of-state, invoking Resolution 369 |
6 points _______ |
Acts of state (expropriations) are not normally an actionable tort |
6 points _______ |
Resolution 369 is contrary to the strong public policy of Britain |
6 points _______ |
| The takeover of Israel was universally condemned by the UN and the world |
6 points _______ |
Resolution 369 was ineffective to transfer title to the aircraft |
6 points _______ |
QUESTION II
160 raw points, 40 per cent
The hypothetical is based on the case of Atkins v. Atkins, 623
So.2d 239 (La.App. 2d Cir. 1993).
| This case is governed by UCCJEA |
5 points _______ |
| And by FPKPA |
5 points _______ |
| as interpreted by the Court of Appeal in Atkins v. Atkins |
5 points _______ |
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| "Home state" is where child has lived for six months |
5 points _______ |
immediately preceding the filing of the action |
5 points _______ |
| If less than six months old, where child has lived since birth |
5 points _______ |
| Periods of temporary absence are included in the six months |
5 points _______ |
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| Both acts, UCCJEA and FPKPA, then set up four tiers |
5 points _______ |
| First tier is "home state" jurisdiction |
5 points _______ |
Also in the first tier, "had been home state within six months" |
5 points _______ |
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| Home state jurisdiction continues for six months following removal |
5 points _______ |
if one parent continues to reside in that state |
5 points _______ |
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| Second tier is that there is a significant connection |
5 points _______ |
and no other state has home-state jurisdiction |
5 points _______ |
| Third tier is that the child is abandoned or an emergency exists |
5 points _______ |
Emergency jurisdiction is not favored |
5 points _______ |
| Fourth and last tier is that no other state would have jurisdiction |
5 points _______ |
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| Arkansas was last home state on date mother filed suit in Louisiana |
5 points _______ |
Louisiana had jurisdiction to grant a divorce |
5 points _______ |
because the wife on day of filing was domiciled in Louisiana |
5 points _______ |
| But Louisiana had no jurisdiction to grant custody |
5 points _______ |
because she did not wait six months prior to filing |
5 points _______ |
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| Arkansas was still last home state on date father filed suit there |
5 points _______ |
Arkansas therefore had jurisdiction to grant custody |
5 points _______ |
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| FPKPA says which custody orders are entitled to full faith and credit |
5 points _______ |
| The Arkansas custody order is entitled to full faith and credit |
5 points _______ |
| The custody portion of the Louisiana judgment is a nullity |
5 points _______ |
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| Arkansas felt Louisiana might have had "significant connection" jurisdiction |
5 points _______ |
but says Louisiana court failed to so articulate in its judgment |
5 points _______ |
| In any case, FPKPA, being federal, prevails over UCCJEA |
5 points _______ |
The father wins |
5 points _______ |
| The mother might have won had her lawyer understood Conflicts |
5 points _______ |
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