CURACAO AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF U.S. JUDGMENTS
Recognition and enforceability
In the absence of an applicable treaty between foreign countries (for example the U.S.) and Curacao, a judgment (in a civil matter) rendered by a U.S. court will not be enforced by the courts of Curacao. The Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation between the United States of America and the Kingdom of the Netherlands (which entered into force December 5, 1957) does not govern general recognition of Curacao and U.S. judgments in each of the countries. In order to obtain a judgment which is enforceable in Curacao the claim must be re-litigated before the Curacao courts.
FATCA AND THE US – DUTCH INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT
Dutch IGA published
In connection with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), the government of the Netherlands entered into a Model 1 Intergovernmental Agreement (“IGA”) with the United States (click here). Under the Dutch IGA, Netherlands financial institutions would report required information to the Netherlands tax authorities, followed by an automatic exchange of the reported information to the IRS.
The Dutch IGA, entered into on December 18, 2013, is substantially similar to the Model 1A IGA that includes a reciprocal approach for the sharing of information between the two governments. Article 3 paragraph 7 of the …
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PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS IN ARUBA
Differences with the United States
Civil proceedings in Aruba differ substantially from those in the United States. In Aruba there are, for instance, no juries. In principle, legal proceedings are basically conducted in writing. Oral pleadings are customary in preliminary relief proceedings, but optional in proceedings on the merits. Discovery proceedings like those in the United States do not exist. Pre-trial motions similar to those in the United States do not exist in Aruba either. There are, however, so-called incidents or ancillary proceedings in Aruba.
An ancillary proceeding may be a separate procedural step or an ancillary step within the …
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PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Differences with the United States
Netherlands Antilles civil proceedings differ substantially from those in the United States. In the Dutch Caribbean there are, for instance, no juries. In principle, legal proceedings are basically conducted in writing. Oral pleadings are customary in preliminary relief proceedings, but optional in proceedings on the merits. Discovery proceedings like those in the United States do not exist. Pre-trial motions similar to those in the United States do not exist in the Netherlands Antilles either. There are, however, so-called incidents or ancillary proceedings in the Dutch Caribbean.
An ancillary proceeding may be a separate procedural step …
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