Jurisdiction and choice of law for non-contractual obligations ... - OAS
Jurisdiction and choice of law for non-contractual obligations ... - OAS
Jurisdiction and choice of law for non-contractual obligations ... - OAS
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<strong>contractual</strong> <strong>obligations</strong>,’” as well as a “survey [<strong>of</strong>] the approaches to jurisdiction <strong>and</strong> <strong>choice</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>law</strong> currently being employed in the hemisphere in the field on <strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability.” The<br />
Resolution stated that the report “should consider as well the past <strong>and</strong> ongoing ef<strong>for</strong>ts <strong>of</strong> global,<br />
regional, <strong>and</strong> subregional organizations that have sought, <strong>and</strong> in some cases continue to seek,<br />
conflict <strong>of</strong> <strong>law</strong>s solutions in this field.” In pursuance <strong>of</strong> this m<strong>and</strong>ate, the rapporteurs divided the<br />
work between them. Dr. Villalta’s report examines the past <strong>and</strong> ongoing ef<strong>for</strong>ts <strong>of</strong> global,<br />
regional, <strong>and</strong> subregional organizations on this topic. This report enumerates the <strong>for</strong>ms <strong>of</strong> <strong>non</strong><strong>contractual</strong><br />
liability currently recognized in this Hemisphere <strong>and</strong> surveys the approaches<br />
currently being followed by the nations <strong>of</strong> the Hemisphere in determining jurisdiction <strong>and</strong><br />
applicable <strong>law</strong> in suits seeking to impose <strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability. Part I enumerates the major<br />
theories <strong>of</strong> <strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability <strong>and</strong> compares them across the common <strong>and</strong> civil <strong>law</strong><br />
systems. Part II surveys the major approaches taken in the Hemisphere to issues <strong>of</strong> <strong>choice</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>law</strong> in cases <strong>of</strong> <strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability. Part III surveys the major approaches taken in the<br />
Hemisphere in determining the existence <strong>of</strong> jurisdiction in cases <strong>of</strong> <strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability.<br />
I. THE RECOGNIZED FORMS OF NON-CONTRACTUAL CIVIL LIABILITY IN THE<br />
HEMIPSHERE<br />
In its Resolution No. 50 (LXI-O/02) <strong>of</strong> Aug. 23, 2002, the Juridical Committee resolved that<br />
the report prepared by the rapporteurs <strong>of</strong> this topic <strong>for</strong> presentation at the Committee’s 62d<br />
session “include an enumeration <strong>of</strong> the specific categories <strong>of</strong> <strong>obligations</strong> that are encompassed<br />
within the broad category <strong>of</strong> ‘<strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> <strong>obligations</strong>.’ Such an analysis will serve to<br />
illustrate the enormous breadth <strong>and</strong> variety <strong>of</strong> <strong>obligations</strong> that an Inter-American instrument on<br />
jurisdiction <strong>and</strong> <strong>choice</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>law</strong> in this field could potentially affect.” 3<br />
This section <strong>of</strong> this report provides such an enumeration. The enumeration demonstrates<br />
that the field <strong>of</strong> <strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability is very broad indeed, including a wide variety <strong>of</strong> disparate<br />
types <strong>of</strong> liability. The term “<strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability covers literally all <strong>for</strong>ms <strong>of</strong> liability that are<br />
not based on a contract, including but not limited to all <strong>for</strong>ms <strong>of</strong> torts, quasi-contracts, delicts,<br />
quasi-delicts, <strong>and</strong> all liability arising under statutes that create private rights <strong>of</strong> action. (Although<br />
the term literally also includes liability <strong>of</strong> private individuals to the state, I have excluded that <strong>for</strong>m<br />
<strong>of</strong> liability from the scope <strong>of</strong> this report on the assumption that the m<strong>and</strong>ate to the Committee<br />
was not intended to reach that far.) Chart I at the end <strong>of</strong> this section confirms the wide range <strong>of</strong><br />
theories <strong>of</strong> <strong>non</strong>-<strong>contractual</strong> liability that can be found in the national <strong>and</strong> subnational <strong>law</strong>s in both<br />
3<br />
Applicable Law <strong>and</strong> Competency <strong>of</strong> International <strong>Jurisdiction</strong> with Respect to Non-<strong>contractual</strong> Civil Liability,<br />
OEA/Ser.Q CJI/RES.50 (LXI-O/02), Aug. 23, 2002.