UNITED STATES 914

25 - 03 - 2017

UNITED STATES 914

Yearbook Yearbook Commercial Arbitration, A.J. van den Berg (ed.), Vol. XLII (2017)
Jurisdiction United States
Summary

US 914. Crystallex International v. Venezuela, United States District Court, District of Columbia, Case No. 16-0661 (RC), 25 March 2017

Related topics
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
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
512 Ground c: Excess by arbitrator of his authority - Excess of authority
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
524

Public policy: The court discusses the effect of other alleged violations of public policy on the recognition and enforcement of an arbitral award, such as contradictory reasons, manifest disregard of the law (US), etc.

Other cases
UNITED STATES 914