International Law in Cases with Foreign Elements

1. English for Law IV MODULE FOUR: INTERNATIONAL AND SUPRANATIONAL LAW Units 20 – 25 • Presentationsduringsummerterm • Individualpresentationwithintheoralexam

2. PrivateInternationalLaw Unit 20

3. Compare the following situations:

4. A situation in which a case contains a foreign element... TERRITORY A TERRITORY B • A CASE • involving more than • one territory • more than one • legal system •  CONFLICT OF LAWS TERRITORY: state, province, canton...

5. Foreign element Readthetext p. 201 – 202 andmake notes aboutpossibleforeignelements: 1. e__________ in a _______country 2. parties: - d__________ - r___________ - p__________ of ___________

6. Explaintheterm“privateinternationallaw” Why “private”? Why “international”? Dicussinwhichsituations is theterm“conflictoflaws” more applicablethantheterm“privateinternationallaw”?

7. Read the following defintion and underline the key words. Conflict of laws means discordance between the laws of one country and another, as applied to the same subject-matter,... Rules of law have been developed to deal with conflict of laws, rules for determining which country’s courts are the appropriate forum for the dispute, and which country’s law is the appropriate law for the resolution of the dispute. J. E. Penner: The Law Student’s Dictionary, Oxford, 2008

8. Compare...

9. Topics to be decided in cases involving conflict of law the court jurisdiction (Which court has the competence to hear and determine a case?) choice of law -the selection of the appropriate rules of a system of law (English or foreign?) – factor that connects the dispute to the legal system of a particualr country – CONNECTING FACTOR the recognition and enforcement of judgements / decisions rendered by foreign courts

10. The legal basis for thethree “conflictoflaw” elements 1. domestic law e. g. Croatia - Zakon o rješavanju sukoba zakona s propisima drugih zemalja u određenim odnosima, NN 53/91, 88/01 2. international treaties - cooperative procedures – mutual recognition of foreign rulings - obligation of a signatory state to adhere to the principles of the treaty

11. POSSIBLE connectingfactors Readthetext p. 203 andmake notes aboutpossible CONNECTING FACTORS:

12. Situationsinmatrimonialcases... POTENTIAL PROBLEMS • the place of marriage ≠ the territory where divorce was filed • the parties’ nationalities and residence do not match • there is property in a foreign jurisdiction • parties have changes residence several times during the marriage

13. Areas of law potentialy involving conflict of laws: • Law of obligations (contracts, torts) • Property and succession (property inter vivos, succession, matrimonial property relations) • Family law (marriage, divorce, children)

14. Zakon o rješavanju sukoba zakona s propisima drugih zemalja u određenim odnosima, NN 53/91, 88/01 Glava prva OSNOVNE ODREDBE Članak 1. Ovaj zakon sadrži pravila o određivanju mjerodavnog prava za statusne, porodične i imovinske odnosno druge materijalnopravne odnose s međunarodnim elementom. Ovaj zakon sadrži i pravila o nadležnosti sudova i drugih organa Republike Hrvatske za raspravljanje odnosa iz stavaka 1, ovog članaka, pravila postupka i pravila za priznanje i izvršenje stranih sudskih i arbitražnih odluka. Read part II of this law “APPLICABLE LAW” and make notes about different situations and the rules about the applicability of law refering to them (e.g. Custody, contract, marriage). http://www.zakon.hr/z/113/Zakon-o-rje%C5%A1avanju-sukoba-zakona-s-propisima-drugih-zemalja-u-odre%C4%91enim-pitanjima

15. FORUM SHOPPING – U.S.A. a practice adopted by litigants to get their cases heard in a particular court that is likely to provide a favorable judgment. A plaintiff can select one forum on the following grounds: 1.The forum is not convenient to the defendant or his/her witnesses. There may be problems of expense of travel, health, or visa or entry permit. 2.The court, the judge, or the law is most likely to favour the plaintiff's case. A defendant can select a forum following on the following grounds: 1.The forum is not convenient to him/her; or 2.The court, the judge, or the law is most likely to favour the plaintiff's case.

16. Language work Do theexercises IV and V, pp. 204 - 205

17. Important expressions - conflict of laws – private international law • discordance between the laws • foreign element • the resolution of the dispute • judicial jurisdiction • recognition of foreign judgements • territorial diversity of legal systems • international / interstate / intercantonal conflicts... • the choice of law • to adhere to (a principle / a treaty)

18. Caseexample – where is theforeign element? • A who has a French nationality and residence in Germany • B who has American nationality, domicile in Arizona, and residence in Austria • C a Swiss national, owns property in Switzerland a) A corresponds with B over the internet. They agree the joint purchase of land in Switzerland, currently ownedbyC, but they never physically meet. • They execute initial contract documents by using mail, followed by a postal exchange of hard copies. • A pays his share of the deposit but, before the transaction is completed, B admits that although he has capacity to buy land under his lex domicilii and the law of his residence, he is too young to own land under Swiss law.

19. Translate the following sentence. U užem smislu riječi, sukob zakona podrazumijeva sukob između zakona koji pripadaju različitim državama radi rješavanja konkretnoga slučaja koji može biti, po različitim osnovama, riješen primjenom zakona dviju ili više država. Pravni leksikon Leksikografskog zavoda Miroslav Krleža

20. Part II – Analyse the case Hodas v. Morin Prepare yourself – do the exercises IV and V, page 208 – 209 Read the case, pp. 206 – 208 and explain: - the facts = who is involved - the foreign element(s)