Conflict of Laws Flashcards
What is full faith and credit?
a state must recognize final judgments of other states so long as the judgment is on the merits and the other state had jurisdiction
How do states recongize marriage?
A marriage which is valid under the law of the state where it was contracted will be valid elsewhere unless it violates a strong public policy of the state that has the most significant relationship to the spouses and the marriage.
Some examples of what may violate public policy include incest or polygamy.
Examples of what do not violate public policy include blood test requirements, marriage license requirements, and recognition of common law marriage.
Common law marriage is virtually always tested when this principle is tested. So, know that if the marriage is recognized by the state where the couple entered into the marriage, it will be recognized by all other states.
Jurisdiction over Divorce
Personal jurisdiction over both spouses is not necessary to render a divorce decree.
The state rendering the decree only needs jurisdiction over the plaintiff spouse.
However, personal jurisdiction over both spouses is necessary to issue a binding property division order or support order. (This embodies the concept of a “divisible” divorce decree.)
Recognition of divorce:
divorce decree must be granted full faith and credit by other states if the court rendering the divorce decree had jurisdiction to enter it.
Which state’s law govern pre-martial agreements?
Some states will apply the law of the state where the contract was executed.
Other states (probably more numerous) apply the law of the state with the most significant relationship to the parties and transaction.
A federal court sitting in diversity applies:
a federal district court sitting in diversity must apply the choice of law approach prevailing in the state in which it sits. Klaxon Co. v. Stentor Elec. Mfg. Co.
If a state claim in Michigan is brought by a Michigan plaintiff against an Illinois defendant in a federal district court in Michigan on a diversity basis, the federal district court must apply Michigan choice of law rules when determining which state’s law to apply. This makes sense because it provides no incentive for the parties to forum shop.
Transfering a Case
A court may transfer a case to any district court in which it could have been brought if convenience and the “interest of justice” favor a transfer.
When a case is transferred to a more appropriate forum under this rule, then the new (transferee) court must apply the laws that the original transferor court would have applied (including their state choice of law rules).
Note that the result is different if the case was initially filed in an improper forum and was transferred to a proper forum: in that case, the transferee court would apply its own law, rather than the law of the transferor court, since the transferor court would not have the power to hear the case in the first place.
Statute of Limitations
Generally, a court will apply its own procedural laws even if the substantive laws of another state are applied to the case.
A statute of limitations is generally considered procedural.
Generally, a court applies its own statute of limitations unless the claim would be barred by the law of the state with a more significant relationship to the parties.
or is it procedural??
Choice of Law in a Contract Claim
If a contract specifies the state law that it will be governed by, generally that law will apply.
The Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws provides that the law chosen by the parties will be applied unless:
(1) the chosen state has no substantial relationship to the parties or the transaction and there is no other reasonable basis for the parties’ choice; or
(2) application of the law of the chosen state would be contrary to a fundamental policy of a state that has a materially greater interest than the chosen state in the determination of the particular issue and which, under a “most significant relationship” test, would be the state of the applicable law in the absence of an effective choice of law by the parties.
What law governs corporations
The law of the state of incorporation governs existence, structure, and internal matters such as capacity, shareholder’s rights, etc.
Rights and liabilities (external matters) are determined by the state with the most significant relationship
What law covers tort claims
A jurisdiction analyzes a specific tort claim under the “most significant relationship” approach found in the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws.
The Restatement lists four factors to determine which state has the most significant relationship to the occurrence and the parties (mnemonic=I Can’t Dance, Really).
Picture someone dancing and negligently hitting someone else in the head with his arm, which happened to cross state lines and cause a tort claim to arise:
(1) the place where the injury occurred;
(2) the place where the conduct causing the injury occurred;
(3) the domicile, residence, nationality, place of incorporation, and place of business of the parties; and
(4) the place where the relationship, if any, between the parties is centered.
Law for real property
A court generally uses the law of the situs for land (i.e., the law where the real property is located).
Occasionally, the state will characterize a dispute over real property as, say, a contract dispute, and look at which state has the most significant relationship to the property if it makes more sense in the given case.
Law for Valdity of a Will
At common law, the validity of a will was determined under the law of the state where the testator was domiciled at the time of his death. Under the Uniform Probate Code (UPC), a will is valid if it complies either with the law of the state in which it was executed or with the law of the place where the testator was domiciled when he signed his will or when he died.
Many non- UPC states have similar statutes.
Law for Personal property Distribution
The postmortem distribution of personal property is governed by the law of the state in which the decedent was domiciled at the time of his death
Real Property Distribution
the postmortem distribution of real property is governed by the law of the situs (i.e., the law of the place where the property is located).
