Mr. Rendell surveyed the ten leading international law cases decided in U.S. courts during 1999. The following is a summary of the cases discussed by Mr. Rendell.
Dismissal illustrates difficulties in suing in U.S. courts for expropriation claims.
Court refused to enforce the awards because Nigerian court had previously set aside the awards. Court held that Mexican judgment should be enforced under Texas Uniform Foreign Country Money Judgment Recognition Act even though interest rate on underlying note was usurious under Texas law. Applying Texas law, court refused to pierce the corporate veil of the Mexican subsidiary and hold the U.S. parent liable for its acts. However, federal court in Illinois dismissed the case under the forum non conveniens doctrine even though plaintiff was an Illinois corporation which asserted claims under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Proposed new FTC Rule takes the same position, i.e., FTC Rule does not apply extraterritorially.