Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-6_06-cv-06017/USCOURTS-arwd-6_06-cv-06017-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 365
Nature of Suit: Personal Injury - Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Product Liability

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

HOT SPRINGS DIVISION

CAROLYN J. ANDERSON PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 06-6017

KIA MOTORS CORPORATION DEFENDANT

O R D E R

Now on this 6th day of August, 2007, comes on for

consideration plaintiff's Request For Original Documents Per

Letter From Korea (document #48), and the Court, being well and

sufficiently advised, finds and orders as follows:

Plaintiff, who is attempting to serve the defendant pursuant

to the Convention Of The Service Abroad Of Judicial And

Extrajudicial Documents In Civil Or Commercial Matters (the "Hague

Convention"), has been advised by the Director of International

Affairs of National Court Administration in Seoul, Korea, that the

documents furnished for service have been returned because

original documents were not provided. The letter returning the

documents cites Paragraph 2, Article 3, and Article 5 of the Hague

Convention.

Plaintiff asks the Court to return to her all original

documents she has filed with the Court, so that they may be

furnished to the authorities in Korea, who will then, hopefully,

carry out service of process so that her cause may proceed.

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The Court will grant this request, and will instruct the

Clerk of Court to return to plaintiff any original documents she

considers necessary, substituting copies therefor. 

Although the request is granted, the Court wishes to point

out that the Hague Convention does not require originals to be

sent to the receiving State for purposes of service of process.

In fact, Article 3 specifically provides that "[t]he document to

be served or a copy thereof shall be annexed to the request." 

The central purpose of Hague Convention -- expressed in its

prologue -- is to simplify and expedite international service of

process, not complicate and delay it. The receiving State's

insistence on original documents is contrary to both the letter

and the spirit of the Hague Convention. Nevertheless, that

appears to be what the Republic of Korea requires of plaintiff to

obtain service of process.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that plaintiff's Request For Original

Documents Per Letter From Korea (document #48) is granted, and the

Clerk of Court is directed to furnish plaintiff with any original

documents from her file that plaintiff considers necessary,

substituting copies therefor.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

/s/ Jimm Larry Hendren 

JIMM LARRY HENDREN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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