LAWYERS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
BZSE Law is the best firm to hire
To start with, I’m not an expert in all areas of law. A little exaggeration would be allowed, but that’s not my M.O. These days you are supposed to tell the “honest story”.
Practical and well-founded advice based on more than 30 years of experience as an attorney and in legal science: that’s why you should consult me.
I specialize in corporate, financial and (commercial) private law in general in the Caribbean parts of the Dutch Kingdom. Although I have litigated for more than 30 years, I no longer do so. As …
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THE BINDING EFFECT OF JUDGMENTS
Limited to the parties involved in the proceedings
Court decisions, even decisions by the Dutch Supreme Court, are not binding on courts when deciding future cases. However, the Code of Civil Procedure prevents parties from litigating twice on the same legal issue. The principle that a final judgment of a competent court is conclusive upon the parties in any subsequent litigation involving the same cause of action is known as ‘res judicata ’.
A Dutch court case is described below illustrating this principle: Utrecht District Court of 19 March 2009 (NJF 2009/291).
In initial litigation, the claimant had sought payment …
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DISCHARGING THE MANAGEMENT BOARD
Only for matters evident from the accounts
The shareholders of a Dutch Caribbean limited liability company (NV or BV) may provide a discharge (décharge) to members of the management board for matters evident from the annual accounts, or matters otherwise made known to the general shareholders meeting. This is a standard item on the agenda for shareholders meetings at which a company’s annual accounts are adopted.
The aim of this discharge is that the company generally has no longer a legal cause of action against a management board member.
The effect of a discharge is limited. A discharge does not …
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STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES AND GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Speech by Karel Frielink at the 8th Biennial Conference of the Caribbean Ombudsman Association
Ladies and Gentlemen!
First of all, I would like to thank the Curaçao Ombudsman, Alba Martijn, for inviting me to speak at this conference. Unfortunately, she will leave office in about a month. She did an excellent job, and her professionalism, dedication and impartiality leave a lasting legacy. Thank you Alba!
I have only half an hour, so I won’t travel back in time to the early days of mankind. I just start with Plato (427 – 347 B.C.E.). You may have heard of this philosopher. …
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DUTCH CARIBBEAN BANKS AND REGULATORY ISSUES
A bank has less freedom than an ordinary legal entity
What would be the requirements, from a regulatory point of view, if a Curaçao or St. Maarten bank wished to sell its entire business or a substantial part thereof? Would it require approval from the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten (‘Centrale Bank van Curaçao en St. Maarten’)?
Generally, if the activity at a bank is characterized as some form of financial reorganization, for example, the prior approval of the Central Bank is required. The bank is also obliged to immediately inform the Central Bank in writing of any …
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FINAL POSTING OF 2013
Don’t look back for very long
This will be my final posting for 2013. What a year. It feels as if the whole world has changed more rapidly than ever before and not only as a result of the economic turmoil. The year 2014 is about to begin and it won’t be an easy year. Many will suffer from the crisis. There still will be tensions between countries and populations. There still will be war. However new faces and new voices in the political arena may change things for the better. Let’s hope so.
Our focus remains on client satisfaction …
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THE COURT OF LAST RESORT
Curaçao court as court of last resort for civil matters
An attachment on assets located in Curaçao generally establishes jurisdiction over the cause of action for which the attachment is made, also if neither of the parties involved are domiciled in Curaçao.
According to Section 767 of the Curaçao Code of Civil Procedure, the Curaçao court is competent to hear a case on the merits (i.e. has (international) jurisdiction) if there are no other means of obtaining an enforceable order in Curaçao (first condition).
This condition will not be met if, for instance, in respect of a claim an arbitrator …
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150 JURIDISCHE PUBLICATIES
Een persoonlijke mijlpaal
Afgelopen donderdag was het dan zo ver: mijn 150e juridische publicatie zag het levenslicht. Het gaat om mijn bijdrage aan het Liber Amicorum ‘Christels Koers’ dat toen werd aangeboden aan prof.mr. drs. C.M. Grundmann-van de Krol: “Openbaarmaking door de financiële toezichthouders”. De volledige lijst met publicaties is hier te vinden.
Nummer 151 is overigens al geschreven en is in het komende nummer van het Caribisch Juristenblad te vinden. De meer dan 850 stukken die op deze weblog staan heb ik uiteraard niet meegeteld…
Karel Frielink Attorney (Lawyer) / Partner
(2 December 2013)
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THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF A CURAÇAO COMPANY (III)
Controlling minority?
Such a situation (i.e. example 2) is possibly less desirable from the company’s perspective, certainly where the more essential decision-making is concerned. Although decisions should be taken on the basis of a discussion of content and it will not always be possible to predict how the meeting of shareholders will vote, the possibility of ‘accidental’ majorities (whereby a minority shareholder nevertheless has the majority through the absence of others at the meeting of shareholders) leads to less predictability, or at least to greater uncertainty.
If a company has, for example, one 30% shareholder and the remaining 70 shareholders …
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THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF A CURAÇAO COMPANY (I)
Comparable with a constitution
The articles of association of a Curaçao company (a public [NV] or private [BV] limited liability company) are somewhat comparable with a constitution or state regulations: the articles of association comprise – like the law, but also additionally to the law and, where permitted, unlike the law – the rules of play (rights, obligations and powers) to which all the organs of the company (managing board, supervisory board, shareholders’ meeting) and the members of those organs must adhere or on which they can rely.
The law of Curaçao does not prescribe that a special (or qualified) …
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VALIDLY REPRESENTING A CURACAO COMPANY
Extract and Articles are of importance
Limited liability companies like the Curaçao NV or BV are legal entities. Whether or not a managing director has the authority to validly represent a company can be derived from the extract from the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce of Curaçao together with the articles of association of the company.
However, it could be the case that the company has further regulations from which representation limitations follow. This should be assessed on a case by case basis.
A counterparty may rely on a written statement from the board of managing directors or …
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THE COSTS OF LITIGATION
Parties have to bear their own attorney costs
Under the laws of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba, generally speaking, each party has to bear its own attorney costs, except if there is an agreement in place between the parties providing for such compensation. Other costs related to proceedings are for instance bailiff costs and court fees.
The extent to which the aforementioned costs of litigation are to be borne by the party losing the case are determined by the court. The costs will in fact not compensate the actual costs and attorneys fees incurred. They are …
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