THIS ACTION INVOLVED THE NAZIS’ CONFISCATION OF A DEGAS PAINTING OWNED BY A GERMAN CITIZEN WHO SUBSEQUENTLY MOVED TO SWITZERLAND AND THEN FRANCE; SUPREME COURT DID NOT ABUSE ITS DISCRETION IN DISMISSING THE ACTION ON FORUM NON CONVENIENS GROUNDS (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Cannataro, over a dissent, determined the action involving a Degas painting confiscated by the Nazis from a German citizen, who then moved to Switzerland and France, was properly dismissed on forum non coveniens grounds. The dismissal presented a matter requiring the exercise of discretion by Supreme Court, which was not abused:

CPLR 327 (a) provides that “[w]hen the court finds that in the interest of substantial justice the action should be heard in another forum, the court, on the motion of any party, may stay or dismiss the action in whole or in part on any conditions that may be just.” Generally, “a decision to grant or deny a motion to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds is addressed to a court’s discretion” … and, if the courts below considered the various relevant factors in making such a determination, “there has been no abuse of discretion reviewable by this [C]ourt,” even if we would have weighed those factors differently … . * * *

… [T]he record reflects that the courts below painstakingly considered the relevant factors, including the public policies at issue, and determined that the balance of factors militated in favor of dismissal … . Thus, plaintiffs’ argument that this is one of the “relatively uncommon” cases in which forum non conveniens can be resolved, and denied, as a matter of law ultimately fails … . Inasmuch as the courts below considered the various relevant factors, “there has been no abuse of discretion reviewable by this [C]ourt” … . Estate of Kainer v UBS AG, 2021 NY Slip Op 07056, CtApp 12-16-21