Opinion ID: 780118
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Attachment Under the FSIA and New York Law

Text: 44 The FSIA states that when a foreign state is not protected by sovereign immunity, the foreign state shall be liable in the same manner and to the same extent as a private individual under like circumstances. 28 U.S.C. § 1606. In attachment actions involving foreign states, federal courts thus apply Fed.R.Civ.P. 69(a), which requires the application of local state procedures. See Alliance Bond Fund, Inc. v. Grupo Mexicano De Desarrollo, S.A., 190 F.3d 16, 20 (2d Cir.1999) (applying Rule 69(a), and hence New York law, in an FSIA action). 45 In the instant action, the district court is located in New York state. We therefore apply New York law to determine what assets are subject to enforcement, and thus available to judgment creditors. Alliance, 190 F.3d at 20. New York procedure for enforcement of judgments is set out in Article 52 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules. The first section of Article 52 describes the assets that New York law has made subject to enforcement, and thus available to judgment creditors. Id. The relevant provision, N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 5201(b), states that: 46 Property against which a money judgment may be enforced. A money judgment may be enforced against any property which could be assigned or transferred, whether it consists of a present or future right or interest and whether or not it is vested, unless it is exempt from application to the satisfaction of the judgment. 47 Id. In New York, then, a party seeking to enforce a judgment stand[s] in the shoes of the judgment debtor in relation to any debt owed him or a property interest he may own. Bass v. Bass, 140 A.D.2d 251, 253, 528 N.Y.S.2d 558, 561 (1st Dep't 1988). Nonetheless, a party cannot reach ... assets in which the judgment debtor has no interest. Id. A determination of Pertamina's property interest in the disputed funds — i.e., whether Pertamina can assign or transfer any of these funds — is therefore dispositive of this appeal. N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 5201(b).