Choice of law in the American courts in 2010: Twenty-fourth annual survey

American Journal of Comparative Law

Volumn 59, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 303-393

  Symeonides, Symeon C ^a  

^a WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 84860122518     PISSN: 0002919X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.5131/AJCL.2011.0001     Document Type: Article

References (423)

1. The previous twenty-three surveys are, in chronological order: P. John Kozyris, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1987: An Overview, 36 AM. J. COMP. L. 547 (1988);
2. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1988, 37 AM. J. COMP. L. 457 (1989);
3. P. John Kozyris & Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1989: An Overview, 38 AM. J. COMP. L. 601 (1990);
4. Larry Kramer, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1990: Trends and Developments, 39 AM. J. COMP. L. 465 (1991);
5. Michael E. Solimine, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1991, 40 AM. J. COMP. L. 951 (1992);
6. Patrick J. Borchers, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1992: Observations and Reflections, 42 AM. J. COMP. L. 125 (1994);
7. Symeon C Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1993 (and in the Six Previous Years), 42 AM. J. COMP. L. 599 (1994);
8. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1994: A View 'From the Trenches' 43 AM. J. COMP. L. 1 (1995);
9. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1995: A Year in Review, 44 AM. J. COMP. L. 181 (1996);
10. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1996: Tenth Annual Survey, 45 AM. J. COMP. L. 447 (1997);
11. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1997, 46 AM. J. COMP. L. 233 (1998);
12. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1998: Twelfth Annual Survey, 47 AM. J. COMP. L. 327 (1999);
13. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 1999: One More Year, 48 AM. J. COMP. L. 143 (2000);
14. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2000: As the Century Turns, 49 AM. J. COMP. L. 1 (2001);
15. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2001: Fifteenth Annual Survey, 50 AM. J. COMP. L. 1 (2002);
16. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2002: Sixteenth Annual Survey, 51 AM. J. COMP. L. 1 (2003);
17. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2003: Seventeenth Annual Survey, 52 AM. J. COMP. L. 9 (2004);
18. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2004: Eighteenth Annual Survey, 52 AIM. J. COMP. L. 919 (2004);
19. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2005: Nineteenth Annual Survey, 53 AM. J. COMP. L. 559 (2005);
20. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2006: Twentieth Annual Survey, 54 AM. J. COMP. L. 697 (2006);
21. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2007: Twenty-First Annual Survey, 56 AM. J. COMP. L. 243 (2008);
22. Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2008: Twenty-Second Annual Survey, 57 AM. J. COMP. L. 269 (2009);
23. and Symeon C. Symeonides, Choice of Law in the American Courts in 2009: Twenty-Third Annual Survey, 58 AM. J. COMP. L. 227 (2010).
24. Hereinafter, these Surveys are referred to only by the author's name and the survey year.
25. 130 S. Ct. 2869 (U. S. 2010).
26. Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2877 (internal quotation marks omitted).
27. Section 78aa of the Securities Exchange Act (15 U. S. C. § 78aa) vests federal courts with jurisdiction to adjudicate violations of the Act.
28. Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2877.
29. EEOC v. Arabian American Oil Co., 499 U. S. 244, 248 (1991).
30. Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2877.
31. Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2881.
32. Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2879, 2886.
33. Winterbottom v. Wright, (1842) 10 M&W 109 at 116, 109
34. 152 E. R. 402 at 407 ("Hard cases... are apt to introduce bad law.");
35. Northern Securities Co. v. U. S., 193 U. S. 197
36. 24 S. Ct. 436, at 468 (U. S. 1904), Holmes, J., dissenting ("Great cases, like hard cases, make bad law.").
37. See Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. California, 509 U. S. 764, 814 et seq. (1993), Scalia, J., dissenting.
38. 611 F.3d 601 (9th Cir. 2010).
39. 15 U. S. C. §§ 1114 (a) (1), 1127.
40. Love, 611 F.3d at 613 n. 6.
41. 631 F.3d 29, 2010
42. WL 4968691 (2d Cir. Dec. 8, 2010), No. 07-4553-cv.
43. See 18 U. S. C. § 1961 et seq.
44. *1.
45. 18 U. S. C. § 1962 (a) - (d) (emphasis added).
46. *3
47. (quoting Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2882).
48. (quoting Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2884).
49. 602 F.3d 797 (7th Cir. 2010)
50. cert, denied, Leya-Sanchez v. U. S., 131 S. Ct. 354 (U. S. 2010).
51. 260 U. S. 94 (1922).
52. 542 U. S. 155 (2004).
53. 602 F.3d at 801.
54. 599 F.3d 1221 (11th Cir. 15, 2010)
55. cert.denied, Frank v. U. S., 131 S. Ct. 186 (U. S. 2010).
56. 18 U. S. C. § 2251A (b) (2) (A) and (c) (1) (emphasis added).
57. 599 F.3d at 1230 (emphasis added).
58. 611 F.3d 783 (11th Cir. 2010).
59. (quoting 18 U. S. C. § 924 (c) (1) (A)).
60. 28 U. S. C. A. § 1350.
61. 621 F.3d 111 (2010).
62. See Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 130 S. Ct. 876 (U. S. 2010).
63. 625 F.3d 561 (9th Cir. 2010).
64. See Sarei v. Rio Tinto PLC, 221 F. Supp. 2d 1116, (C. D. Cal. 2002)
65. affd in part, vacated in part, reversed in part, Sarei v. Rio Tinto, PLC, 456 F.3d 1069 (9th Cir. 2006)
66. superseded on reh'g in part by Sarei v. Rio Tinto, PLC, 487 F.3d 1193 (9th Cir. 2007)
67. reh'g en banc granted by Sarei v. Rio Tinto, PLC, 499 F.3d 923 (9th Cir. 2007);
68. remanded by Sarei v. Rio Tinto, PLC, 550 F.3d 822 (9th Cir. 2008)
69. on remand, Sarei v. Rio Tinto PLC, 650 F. Supp. 2d 1004 (C. D. Cal 2009).
70. 625 F.3d at 563
71. (quoting Morrison, 130 S. Ct. at 2878).
72. see Samantar v. Yousuf, 130 S. Ct. 2278 (U. S. 2010);
73. Ochoa Lizarbe v. Rivera Rondon, 2010 WL 3735865 (4th Cir. Sept. 22, 2010) (No. 09-1376);
74. Bowoto v. Chevron Corp., 621 F.3d 1116 (9th. Cir. Sept. 10, 2010) (No. 09-15641);
75. Swarna v. Al-Awadi, 622 F.3d 123 (2d Cir. 2010);
76. Mohamed v. Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc., 614 F.3d 1070 (9th Cir. 2010);
77. McPherson v. U. S., 2010 WL 3446879 (3d Cir. Sept. 2, 2010) (No. 08-3757);
78. Estate of Amergi v. Palestinian Authority, 611 F.3d 1350 (11th Cir. 2010);
79. El-Shifa Pharmaceutical Industries Co. v. U. S., 607 F.3d 836 (D. C. Cir. 2010);
80. Veiga v. World Meteorological Organisation, 368 Fed. Appx. 189, 2010
81. WL 726518 (2d Cir. Mar. 3, 2010 (No. 08-3999-CV).
82. 605 F.3d 84 (U. S. App. D. C. 2010).
83. 553 U. S. 723 (2008).
84. Al Maqaleh, 605 F.3d at 97.
85. 130 S. Ct. 2278 (U. S. 2010).
86. 28 U. S. C. A. § 1602 et seq.
87. 28 U. S. C. A. § 1604.
88. see Hijazi v. Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to United Nations, 2010 WL 5174946 (2d Cir. Dec. 22, 2010) (No. 10-0904-cv.);
89. Peterson v. Islamic Republic Of Iran, 627 F.3d 1117 (9th Cir. 2010) (No. 08-17756);
90. Hilsenrath v. Swiss Confederation, 2010 WL 4366386 (9th Cir. Nov. 2, 2010) (No. 07-17127);
91. Asemani v. Syrian Arab Republic, 2010 WL 4366083 (D. C. Cir. Oct. 18, 2010) (No. 09-7162.);
92. Swarna v. Al-Awadi, 622 F.3d 123 (2d Cir. 2010);
93. DRFP L. L. C. v. Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela, 22 F.3d 513 (6th Cir. 2010);
94. Ochoa Lizarbe v. Rivera Rondon, 2010 WL 3735865 (4th Cir. Sept. 22, 2010) (No. 09-1376);
95. Bennett v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 618 F.3d 19 (D. C. Cir. 2010);
96. Freund v. Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais, 2010 WL 3465938 (2d Cir. Sept. 7, 2010) (No. 09-0318-cv.);
97. The Abi Jaoudi and Azar Trading Corp. v. Cigna Worldwide Ins. Co., 2010 WL 3279173 (3d Cir. Aug. 20, 2010) (Nos. 09-1297, 09-1298);
98. City of New York v. Permanent Mission of India to United Nations, 618 F.3d 172 (2d Cir. 2010);
99. Oss Nokalva, Inc. v. European Space Agency, 617 F.3d 756, (3d Cir. 2010);
100. Cassirer v. Kingdom of Spain, 616 F.3d 1019 (9th Cir. 2010);
101. World Holdings, LLC v. Federal Republic of Germany, 613 F.3d 1310 (11th Cir. 2010);
102. EM Ltd. v. Republic of Argentina, 2010 WL 3001777 (2d Cir. Aug. 3, 2010);
103. Mortimer Off Shore Services, Ltd. v. Federal Republic of Germany, 615 F.3d 97 (2d Cir. 2010);
104. Carpenter v. Republic of Chile, 610 F.3d 776 (2d Cir. 2010);
105. Guevara v. Republic of Peru, 608 F.3d 1297 (11th Cir. 2010);
106. Weinstein v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 609 F.3d 43 (2d Cir. 2010);
107. Seyas v. Republic of Argentina, 606 F.3d 53 (2d Cir. 2010);
108. Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt v. Lasheen, 603 F.3d 1166 (9th Cir. 2010);
109. Hansen v. PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero), TBK, 601 F.3d 1059 (10th Cir. 2010);
110. Guirlando v. T. C. Ziraat Bankasi A. S., 602 F.3d 69 (2d Cir. 2010);
111. Cruise Connections Charter Management 1, LP v. Attorney General of Canada, 600 F.3d 661 (D. C. Cir. 2010);
112. Anglo-Iberia Underwriting Mgmt. v. P. T. Jamsostek, 600 F.3d 171 (2d Cir. 2010);
113. Brzak v. United Nations, 97 F.3d 107 (2d Cir. 2010).
114. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, such measures have been proposed by legislatures in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah. See http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-12- 09-shariaban09-ST-N.htm (last visited Jan. 7, 2011).
115. South Carolina General Assembly, 118th Session, 2009-2010, Joint Resolution 1387, available at http://scstatehouse.gov/8essll8-2009-20miUs/1387. htm (last visited Jan. 7, 2011).
116. State of Arizona, House of Representatives, Forty-Ninth Legislature, Second Regular Session 2010, HB 2379.
117. Newt Gingrich, quoted in USATODAY, Dec. 9, 2010, More states enter debate on sharia law, by Donna Leinwald, available at http://www.usatoday.com/news/ nation/2010-12-09-shariaban09-ST-N.htm (last visited Jan. 7, 2011).
118. See Awad v. Ziriax, 2010 WL 4676996 (W. D. Okla. Nov. 9, 2010) (No. CIV-10-1186-M).
119. See Awad v. Ziriax,-. F. Supp. 2d-., 2010
120. WL 4814077 (W. D. Okla. Nov. 29, 2010) (No. CIV-10-1186-M).
121. See Fauntleroy v. Lum, 210 U. S. 230 (U. S. 1908);
122. Yarborough v. Yarborough, 290 U. S. 202 (1933) (holding that a state's public policy or strong interests are not a valid defense to the recognition of a valid sister-state judgment).
123. See Phillips Petroleum v. Shutts, 472 U. S. 797 (1985);
124. Allstate Ins. Co. v. Hague, 449 U. S. 302 (U. S. 1981).
125. See American Ins. Ass'n v. Garamendi, 539 U. S. 396 (2003)
126. See Home Ins. Co. v. Dick, 281 U. S. 397 (U. S. 1930).
127. See, e.g., Missouri v. Holland, 252 U. S. 416 (1920);
128. Hauenstein v. Lynham, 100 U. S. (10 Otto) 483 (1879).
129. 623 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2010) (decided under Massachusetts conflicts law).
130. 615 F.3d 574 (5th Cir. 2010) (decided under Louisiana conflicts law).
131. 539 U. S. 396 (2003)
132. discussed in Symeonides, 2003 Survey at 12-15.
133. 592 F.3d 113 (2d Cir. 2010)
134. cert, denied, Weiss v. Assieurazioni Generali, S.p. A., 131 S. Ct. 287 (U. S. 2010)
135. reh'g denied 131 S. Ct. 698 (U. S. 2010).
136. 592 F.3d at 119.
137. 593 F.3d 660 (7th Cir. 2010)
138. cert, denied, 131 S. Ct. 83 (U. S. 2010).
139. 593 F.3d at 665.
140. 622 F.3d 628 (6th Cir. 2010).
141. see IMS Health Inc. v. Mills, 616 F.3d 7 (1st Cir. 2010).
142. 225 P.3d 516 (Cal. 2010).
143. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 361.
144. 583 P.2d 721 (Cal. 1978).
145. McCann, 225 P.3d at 530.
146. (internal quotations are from the Offshore Rental case, which in turn had quoted from D. CAVERS, THE CHOICE-OF-LAW PROCESS 147 (1965)).
147. See SYMEON SYMEONIDES, THE AMERICAN CHOICE OF LAW REVOLUTION: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 71-74 (2006).
148. See Friedrich K. Juenger, Robert A Leflar's Contribution to American Conflicts Law, 31 S. C. L. REV. 413, 421-22 (1980).
149. McCann, 225 P.3d at 533.
150. See, e.g., Rice v. Dow Chemical Co., 875 P.2d 1213, 1218-19 (Wash. 1994);
151. Clayton v. Eli Lilly and Co., 421 F. Supp. 2d 77, 79-80 (D. D. C. 2006);
152. Smith v. Walter C. Best, Inc., 756 F. Supp. 878, 880-81 (W. D. Pa. 1990);
153. Harding v. Proko Indus., Inc., 765 F. Supp. 1053, 1056-1057 (D. Kan. 1991).
154. See, e.g., Renfroe v. Eli Lilly & Co., 686 F.2d 642, 645-47 (8th Cir. 1982);
155. In re Joint Eastern & Southern Dist. Asbestos Lit., 721 F. Supp. 433, 435 (E. D. and S. D. N. Y. 1988);
156. Trahan v. E. R. Squibb & Sons, Inc., 567 F. Supp. 505, 507 (M. D. Tenn. 1983);
157. Ross v. Johns-Manville Corp., 766 F.2d 823, 827-28 (3d Cir. 1985);
158. Wilson v. Johns-Manville Sales Corp., 684 F.2d 111, 115-17 (D. C. Cir. 1982);
159. Millar-Mintz v. Abbott Laboratories, 645 N. E.2d 278, 282 (111. App. 1994);
160. Braune v. Abbot Labs, 895 F. Supp. 530 (E. D. N. Y. 1995).
161. 244 P.3d 765 (Nev. 2010).
162. Wyeth, 244 P.3d at 776.
163. 599 F.3d 728 (7th Cir. 2010)
164. reh'g and reh'g en banc denied (Apr. 26, 2010)
165. cert, denied 131 S. Ct. 322 (U. S. 2010).
166. Chang, 599 F.3d at 733.
167. 615 F.3d 861 (7th Cir. 2010).
168. 998 A.2d 543 (N. J. Super AD. 2010).
169. -. S. W.-., 2010
170. WL 4144587 (Tex. Oct. 22, 2010) (No. 06-0714).
171. -. S. W.-., 2010
172. *1 (quoting the statute).
173. 933 N. E.2d 140 (Mass. App. Ct. 2010)
174. review denied, 458 Mass. 1108 (Mass. Oct. 27, 2010).
175. 33 N. E.2d at 152
176. (citing SYMEONIDES, THE AMERICAN CHOICE OF LAW REVOLUTION: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE 123-140 (2006)).
177. 900 N. Y. S.2d 541 (N. YAD. 4th Dept. 2010)
178. leave to appeal granted, 903 N. Y. S.2d 297 (N. Y. A. D. 4th Dept. July 2, 2010) (No. 09-01531, 518/10).
179. See N. Y. CPLR 4511 (b) ("Every court may take judicial notice without request of... the laws of foreign countries[.]")
180. See Schultz v. Boy Scouts of America, Inc., 480 N. E.2d 679 (N. Y. 1985).
181. See Neumeier v. Kuehner, 286 N. E.2d 454, 457-58 (N. Y. 1972).
182. Butler, N. Y. S.2d at 544 (quoting Schultz).
183. See Kilberg v. Northeast Airlines, 172 N. E.2d 526 (N. Y. 1961).
184. Butler, N. Y. S.2d at 544.
185. 370 Fed. Appx. 172 (2d Cir. 2010), 2010
186. WL 1048203 (No. 09-0530-CV) (decided under New York conflicts law).
187. 370 Fed. Appx. at 174 (quoting Schultz).
188. In Musso v. Hsing Wei Chien, 905 N. Y. S.2d 129 (N. Y. A. D. 1 Dept. 2010)
189. 995 A.2d 651 (Me. 2010).
190. Koshy, 995 A.2d at 661.
191. 313 S. W.3d 717 (Mo. App. 2010).
192. 2010 WL 3723119 (Ariz. App. Div. 1 Sept. 23, 2010) (No. 1 CA-CV 08-0505) (designated as non-precedential under Arizona Supreme Court Rules).
193. 517 U. S. 559 (1996).
194. 538 U. S. 408 (2003).
195. *3.
196. 49 So.3d 529 (La. App. 3d Cir. 10/27/10) (La. App. 3d Cir. 2010) (No. 10-244).
197. -. S. W.3d
198. -. 2010 WL 693700 (Tex. App.-Hous., Feb. 10, 2010) (No. 01-09-00653-CV).
199. -. S. E.2d-., 2010
200. WL 4025599 (W. Va. Oct. 14, 2010).
201. This clause provides that West Virginia courts "shall be open, and every person, for an injury done to him... shall have remedy by due course of law; and justice shall be administered without sale, denial or delay." W. VA. CONST. ART. III, § 17.
202. -. S. E.2d at-..
203. See the cases discussed in PETER HAY, PATRICK BORCHERS & SYMEON SYMEONIDES, CONFLICT OF LAWS 100-02 (5th ed. 2010).
204. 2010 WL 1734976 (4th Cir. Apr. 30, 2010).
205. See Lab. Corp. of Am. v. Hood, 911 A.2d 841 (Md. 2006), (discussed in Symeonides, 2006 Survey at 724-25);
206. Erie Insurance Exchange v. Heffernan, 925 A.2d 636 (Md. 2007) (discussed in Symeonides, 2007 Survey at 246-49).
207. 998 A.2d 303 (D. C. 2010).
208. 546 A.2d 367 (D. C.1988).
209. Cdrdenas, 998 A.2d at 312 (quoting Stutsman).
210. See SYMEON C. SYMEONIDES, WENDY C. PERDUE & ARTHUR T. VON MEHREN, CONFLICT OF LAWS: AMERICAN, COMPARATIVE, INTERNATIONAL 253-54 (2d ed. 2003).
211. 933 N. E.2d 867 (Ill App. 3d Dist. 2010).
212. See, e.g., Lincoln Hockey, LLC v. District of Columbia Dept. of Employment Services, 997 A.2d 713 (D. C. 2010);
213. W. M. Schlosser Co. v. Uninsured Employers' Fund, 994 A. 2d 956 (Md. 2010);
214. Granite State Ins. Co. v. Hernandez, 992 A.2d 528 (Md-App. 2010);
215. Potter v. Patterson UTI Drilling Co., 234 P.3d 104 (N. M. App. 2010);
216. Graham v. TSL, Ltd.,-. S. W.3d-., 2010
217. WL 3928528 (Ky. App. Oct. 8, 2010) (No. 2010CA000547WC);
218. Healey v. Hawkeye Const., LLC, 4 A.3d 858 (Conn. App. 2010);
219. Hopel v. Liberty Mut., 40 So.3d 1078 (La. App. 5th Cir. 2010);
220. Hesser v. Nabors Drilling USA, LP, - So.3d-., 2010
221. WL 4967830 (La. App. 3d Cir. Dec. 8, 2010) (No. 10-741).
222. 25 F.3d 222 (5th Cir. 2010).
223. 936 N. E.2d 1135 (Ill. App. 1st Dist. 2010).
224. 2 A.3d 92 (Conn. App. 2010).
225. 625 F.3d 222 (5th Cir. 2010) (decided under Mississippi conflicts law).
226. 936 N. E.2d 1135 (Ill. App. 1st Dist. 2010).
227. (quoting Townsend v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 227 Ill. 2d 147 at 165
228. 879 N. E.2d 893 (2007)
229. quoting Spinozzi v. ITT Sheraton Corp., 174 F.3d 842, 844-45 (7th Cir. 1999)).
230. 2 A.3d 92 (Conn. App. 2010).
231. Hodgate, 2 A.3d at 101.
232. See North Carolina, ex rel. Cooper v. Tennessee Valley Authority, 615 F.3d 291 (4th Cir. 2010). (public nuisance action by State of North Carolina against the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), seeking an injunction against TVA's coal-fired power plants located in Tennessee and Alabama; denying injunction after holding that the laws of Tennessee and Alabama, rather than the law of North Carolina, applied for determining whether the plants' emissions constituted a public nuisance in North Carolina);
233. Cariajano v. Occidental Petroleum Corp., 626 F.3d 1137 (9th Cir. 2010) (holding that lower court abused its discretion in dismissing on forum non conveniens grounds action by members of a Peruvian indigenous group and a Californiabased nonprofit corporation against a California oil company for environmental contamination caused by defendant's mineral operations in Peru).
234. See Anderson v. Aon Corp., 614 F.3d 361 (7th Cir. 2010) (decided under California conflicts law; holding that California law governed securities fraud action filed against Illinois corporation by California shareholder and arising from California-centered transactions).
235. See Cooper v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc., 374 Fed. Appx. 250, 2010
236. WL 1220946 (3d Cir. Mar. 30, 2010), No. 08-4736 (decided under New Jersey conflicts law; holding that consumer's fraud and misrepresentation claims against a television manufacturer were governed by law of Arizona, where the consumer lived and had purchased the television);
237. Harco Nat. Ins. Co. v. Grant Thornton LLP, 698 S. E.2d 719 (N. C. App. 2010) (decided under the lex loci delicti rule; holding that plaintiffs negligent misrepresentation claim was governed not by the law of Pennsylvania, where the misrepresentation was made, received, and relied upon, nor by the law of Illinois, the plaintiffs domicile, but rather by the law of North Carolina, where the plaintiff actually incurred and had to pay the pecuniary loss).
238. See In re ENSCO Offshore Intern. Co., 311 S. W.3d 921 (Tex. 2010) (holding that the lower court should not have denied Australian defendant's forum non conveniens motion in action by widow of one of defendant's Australian employees who had been killed while working on a Liberian-flagged drilling rig in the territorial waters of Singapore).
239. See Dictor v. Creative Management Services, LLC, 223 P.3d 332 (Nev. 2010) (holding that action against a Missouri trade show company arising from a property theft in Nevada was governed by Missouri law which, unlike Nevada law, barred the action because of the insolvency of the company's insurer).
240. See 28 U. S. C. § 1332 (d)
241. 130 S. Ct. 1431 (U. S. 2010).
242. 04 U. S. 64 (1938).
243. 130 S. Ct. at 1437.
244. (quoting Sibbach v. Wilson & Co., 312 U. S. 1 at 13-14).
245. 225 P.3d 929 (Wash. 2010).
246. Lilienthal v. Kaufman, 395 P.2d 543 at 553 (Goodwin, J., dissenting).
247. 225 P.3d at 938 (emphasis by the court).
248. 2010 WL 3800339 (Cal. App. 4th Dist. Sept. 30, 2010), No. G042303 (unpublished).
249. In Schlesinger v. Superior Court, 2010 WL 3398844 (Cal. App. 2 Dist., Aug. 31. 2010
250. 594 F.3d 1081 (9th Cir. 2010).
251. see Bridge Fund Capital Corp. v. Fastbucks Franchise Corp., 622 F.3d 996 (9th Cir. 2010)
252. 601 F.3d 987 (9th Cir. 2010) (decided under California conflicts law).
253. -. S. W.3d-. (Ky. Dec. 16, 2010), 2010
254. WL 5129850, Nos. 2008-SC-000789-DG, 2009-SC-000390-DG.
255. 2010 WL 1254325 (Ohio App., Mar. 31, 2010), No. 2009-L-090.
256. 624 F.3d 185 (5th Cir. 2010).
257. 472 U. S. 797 (1985).
258. 234 P.3d 19 (KanApp. 2010).
259. 233 P.3d 362 (N. M. 2010).
260. Ideal, 233 P.3d at 368.
261. 243 P.3d 1 (Okla. 2010)
262. reh'g denied (Dec. 6, 2010).
263. 623 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2010) (decided under Massachusetts conflicts law).
264. 615 F.3d 574 (5th Cir. 2010) (decided under Louisiana conflicts law).
265. 619 F.3d 136 (2d Cir. 2010) (decided under New York conflicts law).
266. 539 U. S. 396 (2003)
267. discussed in Symeonides, 2003 Survey, 12-15.
268. MFA, 623 F.3d at 12.
269. [quoting the Holocaust Victims Redress Act of 1998, Pub. L. No. 105-158, § 202, 112 Stat. 15, 17-18 (1998)).
270. (quoting Prague Holocaust Era Assets Conference, Terezfn Declaration (June 30, 2009), http://www.holocausteraassets.eu/program/conferenceproceedings/ declarations).
271. see In re Assicurazioni Generali, S. P. A., 592 F.3d 113 (2d Cir. 2010)
272. cert, denied, Weiss v. Assicurazioni Generali, S.p. A., 131 S. Ct. 287 (U. S. 2010)
273. reh'g denied 131 S. Ct. 698 (U. S. 2010)
274. See Symeon C. Symeonides, A Choice-of-Law Rule for Conflicts Involving Stolen Cultural Property, 38 VAND. J. TRANSN'L L. 1177, at 1196 (2005)
275. (Quoting Tarquin Preziosi, Applying a Strict Discovery Rule to Art Stolen in the Past, 49 Hastings L. J. 225, at 234 (1997)).
276. Dunbar, 615 F.3d at 579.
277. Bakalar, 619 F.3d at 144.
278. 116 Cal. Rptr.3d 923 (Cal. App. 2 Diet. 2010)
279. (quoting Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 20010) (emphasis by the court).
280. 387 Fed. Appx. 727, 2010
281. WL 2788780 (9th Cir. July 14, 2010), No. 09-35661 (decided under Washington conflicts law).
282. *1
283. (quoting Wash. Rev. Code § 19. 100.170).
284. (quoting Gravquick A/S v. Trimble Navigation Int'l Ltd., 323 F.3d 1219, at 1223 (9th Cir. 2003)).
285. For a discussion of the issue of post-choice changes in the chosen law, see PETER HAY, PATRICK BORCHERS & SVMEON SYMEONIDES, CONFLICT OF LAWS 1133 (5th ed. 2010).
286. 622 F.3d 996 (9th Cir. 2010) (decided under California conflicts law).
287. 2010 WL 5071848 (Mass. Super. Oct. 27, 2010), No. 10-3973-B.
288. For further discussion of these problems, see HAY, BORCHERS & SYMEONIDES, supra note 341, at 1115-22.
289. see Inner-Tite Corp. v. Brozowski, 2010 WL 3038330 (Mass. Super. April 14, 2010), No. 20100156.
290. 2010 WL 2061989 (Cal. App. 4 Dist., May 25, 2010)
291. 8 A.3d 1156 (Del. 2010).
292. 613 F.3d 778 (8th Cir. 2010) (decided under Iowa conflicts law).
293. 597 F.3d 292 (5th Cir. 2010) (decided under Mississippi conflicts law).
294. See also Silverman v. Mike Rogers Drilling Co., Inc., 34 So.3d 1099 (La. App. 2d Cir. 2010)
295. writ denied 45 So.3d 1049 (La. 2010)
296. 696 S. E.2d 486 (Ga. App. 2010).
297. 317 S. W. 3d 530 (Tex. App. 2010).
298. 2010 WL 5093884 (5th Cir. Dec. 6, 2010), No. 10-10185 (decided under Texas conflicts law).
299. 2010 WL 190427 (Cal. App. 2d Dist, Jan. 21, 2010), No. B213777 (nonpublished/noncitable).
300. See Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC v. King, 927 N. E.2d 1059 (N. Y. 2010)
301. reargument denied, 15 N. Y.3d 833 (N. Y., Sep. 16, 2010);
302. Smither v. Asset Acceptance, LLC, 919 N. E.2d 1153 (Ind. App. 2010);
303. Midland Funding, L. L. C. v. Paras, 2010 WL 323426 (Ohio App. 8 Dist. Jan. 28, 2010) (No. 93442).
304. See Gunderson v. F. A. Richard & Associates, 44 So.3d 779 (La. App. 3d Cir. 2010), reh'g denied (Aug. 25, 2010).
305. 616 F.3d 895 (9th Cir. 2010).
306. 605 F.3d 144 (2d Cir. 2010).
307. 609 F.3d 143 (3d Cir. 2010) (decided under Pennsylvania conflicts law).
308. In Cashman Equipment Corp. v. U. S. Fire Ins. Co., 368 Fed. Appx. 288, 2010
309. WL 746423 (3d Cir. Mar. 5, 2010), Nos. 08-4289, 08-4290 (decided under Pennsylvania conflicts law), the court held that the issue of prejudgment interest in action against a surety was governed by the law designated in choice-of-law clause contained in principal contract.
310. See also Felix v. Lykins Enterprises, Inc., - S. W.3d-, 2010
311. WL 4137276 (KyApp. Oct. 22, 2010), No. 2009-CA-000312
312. 390 Ped-Appx. 1, 2010
313. WL 3037777 (1st Cir. Aug. 4, 2010) No. 09-1934 (decided under Massachusetts conflicts law).
314. 704 S. E.2d 423 2010
315. WL 4027718 (Ga. App. Oct. 15, 2010) Nos. A10A1107, A10A1108.
316. 37 So.3d 358 (Fla. App. 3 Dist. 2010)
317. review denied 2010 WL 4685414 (Pla., Nov. 16, 2010).
318. 2010 WL 4250008 (10th Cir. Oct. 28, 2010)
319. 696 S. E.2d 486 (Ga. App. 2010).
320. see Houseboat Store, LLC v. Chris-Craft Corp., 692 S. E.2d 61 (Ga. App. 2010)
321. -. S. W.3d-., 2010
322. WL 199246 (Ark., Jan. 21, 2010), No. 09-636.
323. 628 F.3d 643 (4th Cir. 2010).
324. See Nash v. Tindall Corp., 650 S. E.2d 81, 83-84 (S. C. Ct. App. 2007).
325. 619 F.3d 90 (1st. Cir. 2010) (decided under Puerto Rico conflicts law).
326. 593 F.3d 660 (7th Cir. 2010)
327. cert, denied, 131 S. Ct. 83 (U. S. 2010).
328. See 93 F.3d at 668
329. (citing Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Shutts, 472 U. S. 797 (1985)
330. and Allstate Ins. Co. v. Hague, 449 U. S. 302 (1981)).
331. 613 F.3d 395 (3d Cir. 2010).
332. See S. Treaty Doc. No. 98-9(1983), 19 I. L. M. 671 (1980)
333. reprinted at 15 U. S. CApp. (1998).
334. CISG, Art. 96.
335. CISG, Art. 7 (2).
336. See Berard v. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC, 35 So.3d 334 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2010)
337. writ denied, 38 So.3d 302 (La. 2010)
338. Adams v. One Park Place Investors, LLC, 315 S. W.3d 742 (Mo. App. 2010)
339. See Bailey v. Shell Western E&P, Inc., 609 F.3d 710 (5th Cir. 2010)
340. cert, denied, 131 S. Ct. 428 (U. S. 2010)
341. See Faegre & Benson, LLP v. Lee, 2010 WL 5293453 (Min. App., Dec. 28, 2010), A10-852
342. See, e.g., Nodak Mut. Ins. Co. v. McDowell, 784 N. W.2d 483 (S. D. 2010);
343. Render v. Auto Owners Ins. Co., 793 N. W.2d 88 (Wis. App. 2010)
344. review denied, 791 N. W.2d 381 (Wis. 2010);
345. Wendling v. Chambliss, 36 So.3d 333 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2010);
346. Kentucky Nat. Ins. Co. v. Empire Fire and Marine Ins. Co., 919 N. E.2d 565 (Ind. App. 2010);
347. Barrera v. Ins. Co. of State of Pennsylvania, 2010 WL 3839418 (Ohio App., Oct. 2010) No. 4-10-06.
348. In Rando v. Government Employees Ins. Co., 39 So.3d 244 (Fla. 2010
349. In Baker v. St. Paul Travelers Ins. Co., 595 F.3d 391 (1st Cir. 2010), the state of the contract was also the state of the accident (Massachusetts), but the driver, who was an employee of the insured, resided in another state (Rhode Island) and the car was garaged there. In Stonington Ins. Co. v. Williams, 922 N. E.2d 660 (Ind. App. 2010), the court applied the law of Indiana, where the accident occurred, but the insured car was registered and garaged in Indiana and was covered by a Wisconsin insurance policy that contained an Indiana amendment.
350. 7 A.3d 454 (Del. 2010).
351. 940 N. E.2d 810 (Ind., 2010).
352. 63 N. E.2d 417 (Ind. 1945).
353. 124 N. E.2d 99 (N. Y. 1954).
354. 940 N. E.2d at 814.
355. 805 N. E.2d 798 (Ind. 2004)
356. 940 N. E.2d 815 at 815.
357. For other interesting insurance conflicts cases, see, e.g., Fossil Creek Energy Corp. v. Cook's Oilfield Services, 242 P.3d 537 (Okla. Civ. App. 2010) (No. 106895), as corrected on rehearing (Aug. 4, 2010), cert, denied (Oct. 25, 2010) (environmental contamination case decided under Hie law of the state of the contaminated site because of a choice-of-law clause designating that law);
358. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. Woodfield Mall, L. L. C., 941 N. E.2d 209 (Ill. App. 1 Dist. 2010) (following uniform contract interpretation approach and applying Ohio law to coverage dispute between a Massachusetts insurer and an Ohio-based insurance company under a policy insuring the company's stores in several states in a case arising out of Illinois accident);
359. Specialty Surfaces Intern., Inc. v. Continental Cas. Co., 609 F.3d 223 (3d Cir. 2010) (following uniform contract interpretation approach and applying Pennsylvania law to coverage dispute between insurer and a Pennsylvania contractor under a policy insuring the contractor's operations in many states in a case arising out of a California accident);
360. 2004 Stuart Moldaw Trust v. XE L. I. F. E., LLC, 374 Fed. Appx. 78, 2010
361. WL 915866 (2d Cir. Mar. 16, 2010) (illegal life insurance on the life of another person).
362. 130 S. Ct. 1983 (U. S. 2010).
363. Oct. 24, 1980, T. I. A. S. No. 11670, S. Treaty Doc. No. 99-11. The Convention is implemented as U. S. internal law by the International Child Abduction Remedies Act (ICARA)
364. Stat. 437
365. 42 U. S. C. § 11601 et seq.
366. Hague Convention, Arts. 4, 12.
367. See Croll v. Croll, 229 F.3d 133 (2d Cir. 2000);
368. Fawcett v. McRoberts, 326 F.3d 491, 500 (4th Cir. 2003);
369. Gonzalez v. Gutierrez, 311 F.3d 942, 949 (9th Cir. 2002);
370. Abbott v. Abbott, 542 F.3d 1081 (5th Cir. 2008)
371. See Furnes v. Reeves, 362 F.3d 702, 720, n. 15 (11th Cir. 2004).
372. Abbott, 130 S. Ct. at 1996.
373. See Abbott v. Abbott, 2010 WL 3377233 (5th Cir. Aug. 24, 2010), No. 07-50967.
374. see Duran v. Beaumont, 622 F.3d 97 (2d Cir. 2010).
375. see Charalambous v. Charalambous, 627 F.3d 462 (1st Cir. 2010).
376. 897 N. Y. S.2d 298 (A. D. 3d Dept. N. Y. 2010).
377. 326 S. W.3d 654 (Tex. App.-Dallas, 2010).
378. 928 N. E.2d 1002 (Mass. App. 2010).
379. 777 N. W.2d 380 (S. D. 2010)
380. See Norman v. Ault, 695 S. E.2d 633 (Ga. 2010) (recognizing Alabama common-law marriage);
381. Barron v. Suissa, 906 N. Y. S.2d 50 (N. YAD. 2010) (recognizing a common-law marriage formed in either Pennsylvania or the District of Columbia).
382. See Rivera v. Rivera, - P.3d-., 2010
383. WL 5116281 (N. M. App. 2010)
384. In re Parraj, 900 N. Y. S. 2d 340 (N. Y. A. D. 2010) (upholding a New Jersey marriage with a New York license).
385. 608 F.3d 67 (1st Cir. 2010).
386. [1900] A. C. 21 (H. L.).
387. 608 F.3d at 75.
388. 230 P.3d 734 (Idaho 2010)
389. 999 A.2d 229 (N. H. 2010).
390. 40 So.3d 101, 52009-1219 (La. App. 4th Cir. May 12, 2010).
391. 600 F.3d 1138 (9th Cir. 2010).
392. (quoting Hurtado v. Superior Court, 522 P.2d 666, at 672 (Cal. 1974)).
393. See Tigert v. American Airlines Inc., 2010 WL 3155238 (5th Cir. Aug. 10, 2010) (No. 10-30069) (decided under Louisiana conflicts law).
394. See Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC v. King, 927 N. E.2d 1059 (N. Y. 2010)
395. reargument denied, 15 N. Y.3d 833 (N. Y., Sept. 16, 2010);
396. Kat House Productions, LLC v. Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP, 897 N. Y. S.2d 90 (N. Y. A. D. 1 Dept. 2010);
397. Pricaspian Development Corp. v. Total S. A., 2010 WL 4136610 (2d Cir. Oct. 21, 2010) (No. 09-5040-CV);
398. Pricaspian Development Corp. (Texas) v. Royal Dutch Shell, PLC, 382 Fed. Appx. 100, 2010
399. WL 2588193 (2d Cir. June 29, 2010) (No. 09-2857-CV);
400. Abel v. Austin,-. S. W.3d-., 2010
401. WL 2132745 (Ky. App. May 28, 2010) (No. 2009-CA-000465-MR);
402. Ario v. Underwriting Members of Lloyd's of London Syndicates 33, 205 and 506, 996 A.2d 588 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2010).
403. But see In re Estate of McLaughlin, 910 N. Y. S.2d 252 (N. Y. A. D. 3 Dept. 2010)
404. See Unifund CCR Partners Assignee of Palisades Collection, LLC v. Childs, 2010 WL 703274, (Ohio App. 2 Dist. Feb. 26, 2010) (No. 23161);
405. Midland Funding, L. L. C. v. Paras, 2010 WL 323426 (Ohio App. 8 Dist. Jan. 28, 2010) (No. 93442);
406. Capital One Bank (USA), N. A. v. Rodgers, 2010 WL 3620304 (Ohio App. 5 Dist. Sept. 14, 2010) (No. CT2009-0049).
407. See Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC v. King, 927 N. E.2d 1059 (N. Y. 2010)
408. reargument denied, 15 N. Y.3d 833 (N. Y. Sept. 16, 2010);
409. Smither v. Asset Acceptance, LLC, 919 N. E.2d 1153 (Ind. App. 2010);
410. Midland Funding, L. L. C. v. Paras, 2010 WL 323426 (Ohio App. 8 Dist. Jan. 28, 2010) (No. 93442).
411. See Gunderson v. F. A. Richard & Associates, 44 So.3d 779 (La. App. 3d Cir. 2010)
412. 28 U. S. C. A. 44. 1.
413. 586 F.3d 487 (7th Cir. 2009).
414. 621 F.3d 624 (7th Cir. 2010).
415. For a case relying on expert testimony to establish the content of the law of the Dubai Internet City, see Deuley v. DynCorp Intern., Inc., 8 A.3d 1156 (Del. 2010), discussed supra at X.l.b.
416. 21 F.3d at 633, Posner, J., concurring.
417. See, e.g., Carey v. Bahama Cruise Lines, 864 F.2d 201, 205 (1st Cir. 1988)
418. McGhee v. Arabian Am. Oil Co., 871 F.2d 1412, 1424 n. 10 (9th Cir. 1989) ("[Nlothing requires the court to conduct its own research into obscure sources.");
419. Bel-Ray Co., Inc. v. Chemrite Ltd., 181 F.3d 435, 440 (3d Cir. 1999);
420. Ferrostaal, Inc. v. M/V Sea Phoenix, 447 F.3d 212 (3d Cir. 2006);
421. Winn v. Schafer, 499 F. Supp. 2d 390 (D. C. N. Y. 2007).
422. CHARLES A. WRIGHT & ARTHUR R. MILLER, FEDERAL PRACTICE & PROCEDURE § 2444 (3d ed. 1998).
423. * 2 (Min. App., Dec. 28, 2010), A10-852