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PLAINTIFF, A NEW YORK RESIDENT AND A SHAREHOLDER IN DEFENDANT LONDON CORPORATION, ALLEGED DEFENDANT WRONGFULLY FAILED TO PAY DIVIDENDS; THE LONDON DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS ON FORUM NON CONVENIENS GROUNDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant’s motion to dismiss on “forum non conveniens” grounds should have been granted. Plaintiff is a New York resident and the defendant is a London corporation (Anderson). Plaintiff, a shareholder of Anderson, alleged Anderson failed to pay dividends to shareholders:

The doctrine of forum non conveniens permits a court to dismiss an action when it finds that “in the interest of substantial justice the action should be heard in another forum” (CPLR 327[a]). In reviewing the motion court’s exercise of discretion, this Court, however, may exercise such discretion independently … . The factors to be considered on a forum non conveniens motion include: “the burden on the New York courts, the potential hardship to the defendant, and the unavailability of an alternative forum in which plaintiff may bring suit. The court may also consider that both parties to the action are nonresidents and that the transaction out of which the cause of action arose occurred primarily in a foreign jurisdiction. No one factor is controlling” … . New York courts “need not entertain causes of action lacking a substantial nexus with New York” … .

… Although plaintiff is a resident of New York, Anderson, its documents, and the witnesses are all located in the United Kingdom. The dispute involves an accounting of a British private company and will likely involve the application of British law to determine what duty, if any, is owed to plaintiff. Furthermore, the United Kingdom has a stronger interest than New York in the actions, duties, and governance of its companies … . Hayes v Anderson & Sheppard Ltd., 2024 NY Slip Op 01344, First Dept 3-14-24

Practice Point: Here plaintiff, a New York resident and a shareholder in defendant London corporation, alleged defendant wrongfully failed to pay dividends. The London defendant’s motion to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds should have been granted, criteria explained.

 

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