The Spiliada Case
The Spiliada Case
The Spiliada Case
Court: HL
Held: (i) Where a defendant had been served within England, so that jurisdiction had been founded as of
right, he could apply to the court to exercise its discretion to stay the proceedings on the ground known as
forum non-conveniens. If he did, the burden was on him to satisfy the court that there was another forum
having jurisdiction which was the "appropriate forum" for the action because in it the case could be tried more
suitably for the interests of all the parties and for the ends of justice. In discharging this burden, he had to
satisfy the court not merely that England was not the natural or appropriate forum, but that another forum
was actually more appropriate. In this context, the court had to look for connecting factors pointing to another
forum. Those factors would include not only matters of convenience, eg availability of witnesses, but also
matters like the law governing the transaction or the parties' places of residence or business. If the court
concluded that there was no forum more appropriate for trial of the action, it would normally refuse a stay. If it
concluded that there was, it would normally grant a stay, unless the plaintiff showed that there were special
circumstances by reason of which justice required that a stay should nevertheless not be granted.
(ii) In cases where leave for service outside the jurisdiction under Ord 11 was concerned, similar
considerations applied. However, in such cases the burden rested on the plaintiff, not on the defendant; the
plaintiff had to show why a foreign defendant should be required to appear before an English court. A more
fundamental distinction was that in Ord 11 cases the plaintiff was seeking to persuade the court to exercise
its discretionary power to permit service on the defendant outside the jurisdiction. Special regard also had to
be had to the fact that the jurisdiction under Ord 11 might be exorbitant.
(iii) In the instant case, the judge at first instance had applied the correct principles. He had been entitled to
attach the weight he did to the fact that in London experienced teams of lawyers and experts with knowledge
of the issues involved were already available to both sides. The solution of disputes concerning the
respective merits of trial in England or abroad was pre-eminently a matter for him. The instant case was not
appropriate for interference with the exercise of his discretion, and the plaintiffs' appeal against the decision
of the appellate court would be allowed.
Case History
Page 2
Zhang
Lincoln National Life
Insurance Co v Em- [2002] All ER (D) 47 Comml CaseSearch
Followed 05/02/2002
ployers Reinsurance (Feb) Ct Entry
Corp
Analog Devices BV v [2002] IESC 1, [2002] 1 CaseSearch
Considered Ir SC 24/01/2002
Zurich Insurance Co IR 272 Entry
BFC Aircraft Sales and
[2001] All ER (D) 203 Comml CaseSearch
Applied Leasing Ltd v The 14/12/2001
(Dec) Ct Entry
Ages Group LLP
Groupama Insurance
[2001] All ER (D) 458 Comml CaseSearch
Applied Co Ltd v Channel Is- 30/11/2001
(Nov) Ct Entry
lands Securities Ltd
[2002] 1 All ER (Comm)
Burrows v Jamaica 374, [2002] Lloyd's Rep Comml CaseSearch
Applied 29/10/2001
Private Power Co Ltd IR 466, [2001] All ER Ct Entry
(D) 415 (Oct)
Dicta of Lord PT Hutan Domas Raya
CaseSearch
Goff at 369-370 v Yue Xiu Enterprises [2002] 1 LRC 1 Sing CA 20/01/2001
Entry
Applied (Holdings) Ltd
[2000] 4 All ER 268,
[2000] 1 WLR 1545,
CaseSearch
Applied Lubbe v Cape plc [2000] 2 Lloyd's Rep HL 20/07/2000
Entry
383, 144 Sol Jo LB 250,
[2000] 5 LRC 605
[2000] 2 All ER 986,
Berezovsky v Mi- [2000] 1 WLR 1004,
CaseSearch
Considered chaels, Glouchkov v [2000] IP & T 1136, HL 11/05/2000
Entry
Michaels [2000] EMLR 643,
[2000] All ER (D) 643
Sinochem Internation-
al Oil (London) Co Ltd
[2000] 1 All ER (Comm)
v Mobil Sales and Sup- Comml CaseSearch
Considered 758, [2000] 1 Lloyd's 04/04/2000
ply Corp (Sinochem Ct Entry
Rep 670
International Oil Co
Ltd, third party)
[1999] 23 LS Gaz R 34,
Chadha v Dow Jones CaseSearch
Applied [1999] EMLR 724, CA 14/05/1999
& Co Inc Entry
[1999] All ER (D) 495
Oriental Insurance Co
CaseSearch
Applied Ltd v Bhavani Stores [2000] 1 LRC 47 Sing CA 29/10/1997
Entry
Pte Ltd
Oriental Insurance Co
CaseSearch
Followed Ltd v Bhavani Stores [2000] 1 LRC 47 Sing CA 29/10/1997
Entry
Pte Ltd
[1998] AC 854, [1997] 4
Connelly v RTZ Corpn All ER 335, [1997] 3 CaseSearch
Distinguished HL 24/07/1997
plc WLR 373, [1997] NLJR Entry
1346
Followed S v S (matrimonial [1997] 1 WLR 1200, Fam D 07/03/1997 CaseSearch
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