Oregon Statutes 75.1160 – Choice of law and forum
(1) The liability of an issuer, nominated person or adviser for action or omission is governed by the law of the jurisdiction chosen by an agreement in the form of a record signed or otherwise authenticated by the affected parties in the manner provided in ORS § 75.1040 or by a provision in the person‘s letter of credit, confirmation or other undertaking. The jurisdiction whose law is chosen need not bear any relation to the transaction.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 75.1160
- Adviser: means a person who, at the request of the issuer, a confirmer or another adviser, notifies or requests another adviser to notify the beneficiary that a letter of credit has been issued, confirmed or amended. See Oregon Statutes 75.1020
- Issuer: means a bank or other person that issues a letter of credit, but does not include an individual who makes an engagement for personal, family or household purposes. See Oregon Statutes 75.1020
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Letter of credit: means a definite undertaking that satisfies the requirements of ORS § 75. See Oregon Statutes 75.1020
- Nominated person: means a person whom the issuer:
(A) Designates or authorizes to pay, accept, negotiate or otherwise give value under a letter of credit; and
(B) Undertakes by agreement or custom and practice to reimburse. See Oregon Statutes 75.1020
- Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
- Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Oregon Statutes 75.1020
(2) Unless subsection (1) of this section applies, the liability of an issuer, nominated person or adviser for action or omission is governed by the law of the jurisdiction in which the person is located. The person is considered to be located at the address indicated in the person’s undertaking. If more than one address is indicated, the person is considered to be located at the address from which the person’s undertaking was issued. For the purpose of jurisdiction, choice of law and recognition of interbranch letters of credit, but not enforcement of a judgment, all branches of a bank are considered separate juridical entities and a bank is considered to be located at the place where its relevant branch is considered to be located under this subsection.
(3)(a) Except as provided in this subsection, the liability of an issuer, nominated person or adviser is governed by any rules of custom or practice, such as the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, to which the letter of credit, confirmation or other undertaking is expressly made subject.
(b) Except to the extent of any conflict with the nonvariable provisions specified in ORS § 75.1030 (3), rules of custom or practice govern if:
(A) This chapter would govern the liability of an issuer, nominated person or adviser under subsection (1) or (2) of this section;
(B) The relevant undertaking incorporates rules of custom or practice; and
(C) There is conflict between this chapter and those rules as applied to that undertaking.
(4) If there is conflict between this chapter and ORS chapters 73, 74, 74A or 79, this chapter governs.
(5) The forum for settling disputes arising out of an undertaking under this chapter may be chosen in the manner and with the binding effect that governing law may be chosen in accordance with subsection (1) of this section. [1961 c.726 § 75.1160; 1973 c.504 § 4; 1997 c.150 § 19]