Opinion ID: 1436064
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 26

Heading: The Forum-Selection and Service-of-Suit Clause

Text: Century also argues that the retrocessional agreements' service-of-suit clause indicates that disputes between the parties should be resolved exclusively in the courts. The provision in question states: In the event of the failure of [Lloyd's] hereon to pay any amount claimed to be due hereunder, [Lloyd's] hereon, at the request of [Century], will submit to the jurisdiction of any Court of competent jurisdiction within the United States and will comply with all requirements necessary to give such Court jurisdiction and all matters arising hereunder shall be determined in accordance with the law and practice of such Court. App. at 32 (retrocessional agreement para. 12). Cf. AgGrow Oils, 242 F.3d at 780-81 (reading performance bond's clause providing for judicial settlement of disputes to indicate ambiguity as to intent to incorporate agreement to arbitrate); Collier Dev. Co. v. Jeffco Constr. Co., 25 Pa. D. & C. 4th 193, 196-99 (1995) (finding no intent to incorporate agreement to arbitrate where subcontract expressly provided different method for settlement of disputes). But service-of-suit clauses do not negate accompanying arbitration clauses; indeed, they may complement arbitration clauses by establishing a judicial forum in which a party may enforce arbitration. See Patten Secs. Corp. v. Diamond Greyhound & Genetics, Inc., 819 F.2d 400, 406-07 (3d Cir. 1987); Suter v. Munich Reins. Co., 223 F.3d 150, 155-56 (3d Cir.2000); Gaffer Ins. Co. v. Discover Reins. Co., 936 A.2d 1109, 1114-15 (2007) (contract's service-of-suit and consent-to-jurisdiction clause does not override contract's arbitration clause because, giving meaning to whole contract and to each provision if possible, provisions can coexist). Here, the service-of-suit clause does not indicate that the parties provided for the resolution of disputes only through litigation.