Opinion ID: 757779
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Presumption in Favor of Plaintiffs' Choice of Forum

Text: 53 Judge Stanton found that the presumption in favor of plaintiffs' choice was weakened in this case because the real party in interest is Chequepoint UK, a foreign corporation. See Piper, 454 U.S. at 255, 102 S.Ct. 252. Plaintiffs argue that Judge Stanton erred by concluding that a weak presumption applied in this case. 54 It is clear that, at bottom, this is a suit about two English banks' refusal to do business in England with CCE and Chequepoint UK. Plaintiffs have attempted to morphose this case into a dispute that concerns the United States by discussing the letter of credit issued by Barclays UK to CCE in New York. However, the letter of credit is a red herring. The gravamen of plaintiffs' claims concern: (1) Barclays UK's alleged ploy to force CCE and Chequepoint UK into default on an English checking transaction; (2) Barclays UK's subsequent refusal to provide banking services in England to CCE and its affiliates; and (3) NatWest UK's refusal to provide banking services in England to CCE and its affiliates. The real parties in dispute with the defendants are CCE and Chequepoint UK. 55 Because the real parties in interest are foreign corporations, there is not a strong presumption in favor of the plaintiffs' choice of forum. See Piper, 454 U.S. at 255, 102 S.Ct. 252. Thus, Judge Stanton properly concluded that England was the correct forum. We note, however, that even if the real parties in interest were American, we would find that Judge Stanton did not abuse his discretion in dismissing this suit, because the private interest factors weigh so substantially in favor of England.