Enforceability of Civil Liabilities
In Guernsey, foreign judgments can be recognized by the Royal Court of Guernsey (the “Guernsey Court”) either under the Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) (Guernsey) Law, 1957, as amended (the “1957 Law”), which provides a statutory framework for the enforcement of judgments made in a reciprocating country and of a kind to which the 1957 Law applies, or under the principles of common law. Save for very exceptional and limited circumstances, if the 1957 Law does not apply then the common law prevails.
For jurisdictions not included in the 1957 Law, including the U.S., a judgment obtained in a court in the U.S. against the Company (or our directors or officers) cannot be registered or enforced in Guernsey, pursuant to the 1957 Law, but may be enforceable by separate action on the judgment in accordance with Guernsey common law rules.
To enforce the judgment of a court of the U.S. in Guernsey, the claimant would be required to bring fresh proceedings before the Guernsey Court, suing on the foreign judgment itself and applying for summary judgment if the case is placed on the pleadings list (essentially, where the case is defended). In such an action, the Guernsey Court is unlikely to re-examine the merits of the original case decided by a U.S. court.
According to current practice, the Guernsey Court will (subject to the following matters) enforce the judgment of a court in the United States in in personam proceedings provided that the following conditions inter alia are satisfied:
(a) the judgment is for a debt or fixed or ascertainable sum of money (provided that the judgment does not relate to U.S. penal, revenue or other public laws);
(b) the judgment is final and conclusive; and
(c) the court in the U.S. had, at the time when proceedings were served, jurisdiction over the judgment debtor in accordance with the Guernsey rules of private international law.
The Guernsey Court will not, however, enforce that judgment if the judgment debtor satisfies the Guernsey Court that:
(a) the judgment was given in proceedings that were in breach of principles of natural or substantial justice;
(b) enforcement of the judgment would be contrary to Guernsey public policy;
(c) the foreign court did not have jurisdiction to give that judgment according to Guernsey rules on the conflict of laws;
(d) there was fraud on the part of the U.S. court pronouncing judgment;
(e) there was fraud on the part of the party in whose favor the judgment was given;
(f) enforcement proceedings are time barred under the Guernsey laws on prescription/limitation;
(g) the foreign judgment is not for a definite sum of money (which is not a sum in respect of taxes or penalties) or is not final and conclusive;
(h) the foreign judgment was against a person who was entitled to immunity from the courts of that country; and
(i) the foreign court had no jurisdiction in circumstances where the judgment debtor was, at the time the proceedings were instituted, present in the foreign country and the bringing of proceedings in that U.S. court was contrary to an agreement under which the dispute was to be settled and the judgment debtor did not agree to the proceedings being brought in that U.S. court, nor counterclaimed or otherwise submitted to the jurisdiction.