Citations Affected: IC 34-11; IC 34-54.
Synopsis: Recognition of foreign country money judgments. Enacts
the uniform foreign country money judgments recognition act. Provides
a process for recognizing money judgments obtained in other nations
for the purpose of enforcement.
Effective: July 1, 2011.
January 20, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Judiciary.
January 31, 2011, reported _ Do Pass.
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning civil
procedure.
losing party of an adequate opportunity to present its case;
(3) the judgment or the cause of action on which the judgment
is based is repugnant to the public policy of Indiana or of the
United States;
(4) the judgment conflicts with another final and conclusive
judgment;
(5) the proceeding in the foreign court was contrary to an
agreement between the parties under which the dispute in
question was to be determined otherwise than by proceedings
in that foreign court;
(6) in the case of jurisdiction based only on personal service,
the foreign court was a seriously inconvenient forum for the
trial of the action;
(7) the judgment was rendered in circumstances that raise
substantial doubt about the integrity of the rendering court
with respect to the judgment; or
(8) the specific proceeding in the foreign court leading to the
judgment was not compatible with the requirements of due
process of law.
(d) A party resisting recognition of a foreign country judgment
has the burden of establishing that a ground for nonrecognition
stated in subsection (b) or (c) exists.
Sec. 4. (a) A foreign country judgment may not be refused
recognition for lack of personal jurisdiction if:
(1) the defendant was served with process personally in the
foreign country;
(2) the defendant voluntarily appeared in the proceeding,
other than for the purpose of protecting property seized or
threatened with seizure in the proceeding or of contesting the
jurisdiction of the court over the defendant;
(3) the defendant, before the commencement of the
proceeding, had agreed to submit to the jurisdiction of the
foreign court with respect to the subject matter involved;
(4) the defendant was domiciled in the foreign country when
the proceeding was instituted or was a corporation or other
form of business organization that had its principal place of
business in, or was organized under the laws of, the foreign
country;
(5) the defendant had a business office in the foreign country
and the proceeding in the foreign court involved a cause of
action arising out of business done by the defendant through
that office in the foreign country; or
(6) the defendant operated a motor vehicle or airplane in the
foreign country and the proceeding involved a cause of action
arising out of that operation.
(b) The list of bases for personal jurisdiction in subsection (a) is
not exclusive. A court may recognize bases of personal jurisdiction
other than those listed in subsection (a) as sufficient to support a
foreign country judgment.
Sec. 5. (a) If recognition of a foreign country judgment is sought
as an original matter, the issue of recognition shall be raised by
filing an action seeking recognition of the foreign country
judgment.
(b) If recognition of a foreign country judgment is sought in a
pending action, the issue of recognition may be raised by
counterclaim, cross-claim, or affirmative defense.
Sec. 6. If the court in a proceeding under section 5 of this
chapter finds that the foreign country judgment is entitled to
recognition under this chapter then, to the extent that the foreign
country judgment grants or denies recovery of a sum of money, the
foreign country judgment is:
(1) conclusive between the parties to the same extent as the
judgment of a sister state entitled to full faith and credit in
Indiana would be conclusive; and
(2) enforceable in the same manner and to the same extent as
a judgment rendered in Indiana.
Sec. 7. If a party establishes that an appeal from a foreign
country judgment is pending or will be taken, the court may stay
any proceedings with regard to the foreign country judgment in
accordance with the Indiana rules of trial procedure.
Sec. 8. In applying and construing this chapter, consideration
must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with
respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.
Sec. 9. This chapter does not prevent the recognition under
principles of comity or otherwise of a foreign country judgment not
within the scope of this chapter.