Opinion ID: 697268
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Dismissal of the New York Complaint

Text: 19 In lieu of an answer, BOI moved to dismiss the New York complaint on numerous substantive and procedural grounds, but principally argued the ground of forum non conveniens. In opposition to the forum non conveniens motion, plaintiffs argued, inter alia, that some evidence available to them in the New York action, including Sussman's own testimony, would be unavailable in Israel. They stated that Sussman could not travel to Israel to testify without the risk of being detained there by the Israeli government; Sussman stated in an affidavit that his prior requests of defendants and other Israeli government officials for a guarantee of safe passage into and out of Israel for that purpose had been denied. 20 In an opinion reported at 801 F.Supp. 1068 (S.D.N.Y.1992), aff'd 990 F.2d 71 (2d Cir.1993) (per curiam), the district court dismissed on the forum non conveniens ground. While acknowledging that the forum preferences of Sussman, a United States resident, and Guilden, a deceased American citizen whose estate was being administered in New York, were entitled to some degree of deference, the court held that other factors pointed to Israel as the more appropriate forum. It noted principally that all of the claims in the New York complaint would be governed by Israeli law; that Sussman and Guilden had voluntarily elected to invest in Israel; and that parallel litigation arising out of the same alleged conduct was already proceeding there. The court rejected Sussman and Guilden's contention that their claims arose out of the alleged secret $10 million loan transmitted through Bank Hapoalim's branch in New York, concluding that the New York conduct cannot be regarded, in the overall scheme of things, as other than peripheral to alleged acts and omissions occurring entirely in Israel. 801 F.Supp. at 1074. The court also rejected the contention that an Israeli court would be predisposed against Sussman and Guilden's claims. It concluded that, in light of the complexity of the case and the interests of international comity, the claims in the New York complaint presented a quintessential case for application of the forum non conveniens doctrine. Id. at 1079. The court did not otherwise address the substance of Sussman and Guilden's allegations; rather, it conditionally dismissed the New York complaint without prejudice to the merits of plaintiff[s'] claims. Id. 21 The court imposed two conditions on the grant of dismissal. First, it required defendants to waive any statute-of-limitations defense under Israeli law that might have become available after the commencement of the New York action. Second, the court required the Israeli government to provide Sussman with written assurances that he would not be detained in Israel should he travel there for the purpose of defending the Israeli action or of asserting claims covered by the New York complaint. Id. Defendants complied with the court's conditions, and the complaint was dismissed. An appeal by Sussman and Guilden from the dismissal was rejected in a per curiam opinion. See 990 F.2d 71. 22