UNITED STATES 879

08 - 06 - 2016

UNITED STATES 879

Yearbook Yearbook Commercial Arbitration, A.J. van den Berg (ed.), Vol. XLI (2016)
Jurisdiction United States
Summary

US 879. The Belize Bank Limited v. Government of Belize, United States District Court, District of Columbia, 8 June 2016

Related topics
103

The court discusses the impact of the nationality of the parties on the application of the Convention. 

Nationality of the parties no criterion
105

The court discusses issues relating to the quality of the parties, as physical or legal persons against whom enforcement of an arbitral award is sought, including the incapacity of a State to enter into an arbitration agreement, and questions relating to sovereign immunity. For the related defenses to enforcement, see Art. V(1)(a).

"Persons, whether physical or legal" (paragraph 1) (including sovereign immunity)
301

The court discusses the principle that the procedure for the enforcement of awards under the Convention is governed by the lex fori, as well as procedural issues (such as the competent enforcement court) not falling under the specific cases of ¶¶ 302-307.

Procedure for enforcement in general
307

The court discusses questions relating to interest on the amount due under the arbitral award, including whether the enforcement court may grant interest not granted in the award, modify interest granted in the award, and grant post-award interest.

Interest on award
501

The court discusses questions relating to the general approach taken by the Convention to the grounds for refusal of recognition and enforcement, including its pro-enforcement bias, as well as the system of the Convention, under which recognition and enforcement may only be denied on seven listed grounds and the petitioner has only the obligations set out in Art. IV.

Grounds are exhaustive
503

The court discusses the burden of proof of the grounds for refusing enforcement under the Convention.

Burden of proof on respondent
505 Incapacity of party
511

Due process: The court discusses various irregularities affecting due process, including letters not sent, names of arbitrators or experts not communicated, language of proceedings and communications, etc.

"Otherwise unable to present his case"
513 Ground d: Irregularity in the composition of the arbitral tribunal or arbitral procedure
518

Public policy: The court discusses the meaning of (international as compared to domestic) public policy, generally defined as the basic notions of morality and justice of the enforcement State.

Paragraph 2 - Distinction domestic-international public policy
521

Public policy: The court discusses the consequences of the apparent or actual bias of an arbitrator on the recognition and enforcement of an arbitral award.

Lack of impartiality of arbitrator
UNITED STATES 879