Legal Question in International Law in Belgium
Execution of judgment
I obtain a judgment from the Dallas country district court in
Texas. How can I executed the jugdment in Belguim against the defender who lives in Belgium ?
Which international treaty is to apply ?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Execution of judgment
Try "you can't" for the simple answer. There is no treaty on recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments between the USA and any other country -- even the British refused because our torts system is just so abhorrent to the rest of the world.
Non-US courts can, as a matter of judicial comity, elect to recognize a US judgment; you can try asking a Belgian lawyer about the likelihood of your judgment being enforced under that basis. Else, you may well have to commence an entirely new case in Belgian court if you want to get anything other than nice wallpaper for your money. Your Texas lawyer should have told you all of this before going to trial there -- big waste of time and money unless the Belgian defendant has assets in Texas (or anywhere else in the USA).
Best wishes,
LDWG