Opinion ID: 1262975
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the independent action argument

Text: Panama asserts that the Oklahoma and Brazilian actions are entirely independent, and that the Brazilian court acknowledged this independence as a basis for its exercise of concurrent jurisdiction. In support of this argument, Panama refers us to a statement in the Sao Paulo Court of Appeals' opinion on review of certain preliminary trial court rulings. There, the Brazilian court said the Oklahoma action `interferes in no way with the jurisdiction of Brazilian courts.' [32] We do not interpret this statement by the Brazilian court to mean that the parties and occurrences involved in the proceedings are not the same. Rather, it is merely a recognition of the principle of concurrent jurisdiction. [33] Panama also asserts that we should not give greater recognition to the declaratory judgment than the Brazilian court would itself give it. We are directed to other portions of the same Sao Paulo Court of Appeals opinion which, Panama urges, is a determination that the Brazilian action would have no effect on the Oklahoma proceedings: [The Oklahoma action was brought] for indemnification and the action brought here [Brazil] is merely declaratory... . And, in truth, both actions may even be considered valid, with the appellant receiving the benefit of an indemnity based on that shareholders' agreement, as it requested of the United States Courts, and the appellees being favored by a decision from the Brazilian Courts to the effect that said agreement is ineffective and inoperative with regard to Copebras S.A. These statements by the Brazilian appellate court, on review of certain prejudgment rulings in the declaratory judgment action, do not amount to settled law of the case in the Anglo-American sense; neither does Panama support this argument by citation to any Brazilian case law which would give it that effect. It is, at best, a discussion of possible future development in this dual litigation rather than settled law of the case on a legal effect of the Brazilian adjudication.