Opinion ID: 497333
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Recognition of the Belgian Judgment

Text: 12 After the Belgian trial court had rendered its judgment, Mr. Granger filed a second motion to dismiss Ingersoll's suit in the district court. This motion was based on the contention that the action was barred by res judicata. Ingersoll opposed Mr. Granger's motion, filed a motion to compel discovery, and sought leave to add another count to its complaint seeking the return of certain funds advanced to Mr. Granger. The court referred the matter to a magistrate. The magistrate recommended dismissal on res judicata grounds. The district court, rather than relying on the magistrate's recommendation, stayed further proceedings pending the outcome of the Belgian appellate process. 13 After the Labour Court of Appeal issued its decision, Mr. Granger filed a counterclaim in the Illinois suit seeking enforcement of the Belgian judgment. Before the district court made any ruling, however, Ingersoll appealed the Belgian decision to the Cour de Cassation. 14 On March 24, 1986, the district court ruled against Ingersoll on its complaint and granted summary judgment to Mr. Granger on his counterclaim. Ingersoll Milling Mach. Co. v. Granger, 631 F.Supp. 314 (N.D.Ill.1986). In so ruling, the court found that the Belgian judgment met the requirements of the Illinois Uniform Foreign Money-Judgments Recognition Act (the Act or the Uniform Act), Ill.Rev.Stat. ch. 110, paras. 12-618 to -626 (1986). Specifically, the court held that the Belgian judgment was conclusive under the Uniform Act because the Belgian courts had jurisdiction over the dispute and had used procedures compatible with the requirements of due process of law. Ingersoll Milling Mach. Co., 631 F.Supp. at 316-17. The court also held that recognition of this conclusive foreign judgment was proper under the Act because the judgment was not rendered under circumstances making its enforcement repugnant to Illinois public policy and because there was no prior agreement between the parties to settle any disputes between them in a different forum. Id. at 318. Moreover, the district court found that the Uniform Act had rejected the requirement of reciprocity. Id. Finally, the district court denied Ingersoll's motion to add Count IV to its complaint because, according to the court, Ingersoll could have brought this claim in the Belgian suit but had failed to do so. Id. at 315 n. 1. 15 After further briefing, the district court also issued a judgment that set forth specific amounts for the damage award, including interest. Ingersoll Milling Mach. Co. v. Granger, No. 79 C 20076, final judgment (N.D.Ill. July 3, 1986); R. 80. The court held that Mr. Granger was entitled to the full amount of the Belgian judgment plus the interest that automatically accrued under Belgian law on that judgment up to the date that the district court entered its judgment. Id. at 2-3. The court adopted the federal judgment-day rule for converting foreign currency to American dollars. Under this rule, the court applied the exchange rate on July 3, 1986, the date that the district court's judgment was entered. Id. at 3. Thus, the district court awarded Mr. Granger $144,277.85. Id. at 4. In making this award, the district court did not permit Ingersoll to take advantage of the set-off awarded by the Belgian judgment to the Belgian Subsidiary. The court only allowed Ingersoll to set-off the amount that it had been awarded under the Belgian judgment. Id. at 3-4.