Opinion ID: 1476448
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading:  Lack of A Prior Pending Action

Text: Although the Court of Chancery found that an action similar to this litigation . . . [is] . . . pending before the Argentine courts, [46] the record shows that the Pan American lawsuits pending in Argentina are not similar. No action was pending in Argentina at the time Candlewood filed this Delaware action asserting common law tort and contract claims for damage to property. Pan American's second-filed action in the Argentina Supreme Court does not seek a declaration to the contrary, i.e., that it is not liable to Candlewood for property damage. Pan American's lawsuit seeks only a declaration that its dispute with Candlewood is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of specified Argentine courts. Pan American's second Argentine lawsuit does not implicate Candlewood's Delaware claims either, because (i) that action does not seek a declaration of non-liability for damage to land resulting from expropriation, (ii) that action seeks only a partial court-ordered expropriation of FSB's land, and (iii) even if expropriation relief were granted, that would not affect Candlewood's claims, all of which would have arisen pre-expropriation. Thus, the Court's finding of an action similar to this litigation pending in Argentina lacks support in the record.