Opinion ID: 1463897
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Foreign LawStandard of Review

Text: Texas courts may apply Mexican law. Gutierrez v. Collins, 583 S.W.2d 312, 321 (Tex.1979). The court, and not a jury, determines the laws of foreign countries. Tex.R. Evid. 203. A party who intends to raise an issue about foreign law shall give notice, and, at least thirty days before trial, shall furnish all parties copies of any written materials or sources the party intends to use to as proof of foreign law. Tex.R. Evid. 203. If the materials or sources were originally written in a language other than English, the party relying upon them shall furnish all parties both a copy of the foreign-language text and an English translation. Tex.R. Evid. 203. Rule 203 has been aptly characterized as a hybrid rule by which the presentation of the foreign law to the court resembles the presentment of evidence but which ultimately is decided as a question of law. Ahumada v. Dow Chem. Co., 992 S.W.2d 555, 558 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 1999, pet. denied); Lawrenson v. Global Marine, Inc., 869 S.W.2d 519, 525 (Tex.App.-Texarkana 1993, writ denied). Summary judgment is not precluded when experts disagree on the law's meaning if, as here, the parties do not dispute that all the pertinent foreign law was properly submitted in evidence. Bridas Corp. v. Unocal Corp., 16 S.W.3d 893, 896 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2000, pet. denied). When experts disagree on how the foreign law applies to the facts, the court is presented with a question of law. Bridas Corp., 16 S.W.3d at 896; Ahumada, 992 S.W.2d at 558-59. We review the trial court's determination of foreign law de novo. See Tex.R. Evid. 203; El Paso Natural Gas Co. v. Minco Oil & Gas, Inc., 8 S.W.3d 309, 312 (Tex.1999) (Because the issue ... [involves] a question of law, our review is de novo. ).