Perutz v. Bohemian Discount Bank in Liquidation

279 A.D. 386, 110 N.Y.S.2d 446, 1952 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 4679
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedFebruary 13, 1952
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 279 A.D. 386 (Perutz v. Bohemian Discount Bank in Liquidation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Perutz v. Bohemian Discount Bank in Liquidation, 279 A.D. 386, 110 N.Y.S.2d 446, 1952 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 4679 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1952).

Opinions

Dore, J.

Plaintiff, administratrix of the estate of her deceased husband, a former employee of a Czechoslovakian bank, the assets of which have been acquired and the liabilities assumed by defendant-respondent, a successor bank, appeals from judgment in defendant’s favor dismissing the complaint after trial before the court without a jury.

All relevant facts were stipulated to by both parties in a written stipulation submitted to the trial court, and Doctor Paul Hartmann who testified as a qualified expert on Czechoslovakian law was, also by stipulation, called as a witness for both plaintiff and defendant; so that there are no disputed issues of fact or of law in this record.

Plaintiff’s husband came to the United States in 1940, became an American citizen and resided here until his death on June 12, [388]*3881949. Under an agreement with defendant’s predecessor bank, plaintiff concededly is entitled to a pension from the bank commencing in 1940. By a previous judgment consented to in November, 1942, the Supreme Court of this State granted plaintiff’s intestate all sums due under the pension contract up to October 31, 1942. This action by the intestate’s legal representative is for the amounts due and owing and concededly unpaid under the same contract from November, 1942, to date of trial. Before his death, plaintiff’s intestate had attached in New York funds of defendant as successor bank.

The parties expressly stipulated that under a written contract, valid under Czechoslovakian law, and pursuant to the pension agreement entered into between defendant’s predecessor and plaintiff’s intestate, the employee became entitled to ” a pension of a stipulated amount per month commencing February 1, 1940. The judgment here appealed from is a final judgment on the merits in defendant’s favor after trial. If this judgment in defendant’s favor dismissing the complaint is affirmed, plaintiff is forever barred from judgment to which she is entitled by settled concepts of fairness and justice and also of law under the expert’s testimony and decisions of our courts.

The issue is not whether failure to pay plaintiff in American dollars constitutes breach of the pension contract; the issue is whether plaintiff is entitled to judgment even though, before judgment, a license has not been secured.

At trial, Dr. Hartmann testified that under Czechoslovakian law the employee, even if he was a New York resident at the time the payments in question became due, could prosecute and obtain judgment against the bank, the employer, in an action in Czechoslovakia, and under such law the currency regulations of that country would be no defense or bar to judgment in such action “ even though no license were obtained.” He testified further as follows: Q. Dr. Hartmann, would the currency regulations or laws of Czechoslovakia be a defense to such an action in Czechoslovakia, and bar a judgment in favor of the plaintiff under Czechoslovak law, even though no license were obtained from the Czechoslovak National Bank permitting payment by the employer to the employee? A. No. It is a settled practice of the Czechoslovak Supreme Court that the fact that no license was granted for a payment which, under the law of Czechoslovakia requires license, that such fact is no valid defense for an action for performance.” He said that the Supreme Court was the highest court in Czechoslovakia. He further testified:

[389]*389“ The Court: What would that mean under the laws of Czechoslovakia, that this plaintiff would have no right to bring this action here unless he got permission from their consul here?

“ The Witness: No, no, the question, as I understand it, referred to payment. But, there is no law preventing a person from bringing the action in any country.”

He said the employee could get judgment ” in Czechoslovakia and by the same token he could bring an action in this country and get judgment here.” It was only when execution issues that a license from the National Bank is required. He added that the laws of Czechoslovakia prevent payment by a resident to a nonresident or by a resident “ into a foreign country ” except pursuant to a license from the National Bank. When asked the consequences of payment by a Czechoslovakian resident to a nonresident under the currency regulations without a license, he said the only effect would be possible criminal penalties.

In numerous cases in which a license was required under executive orders and regulations of executive departments of our own government, judgments have been entered although prior to judgment, no license had been obtained (Singer v. Yokohama Specie Bank, 293 N. Y. 542; Banque Mellie Iran v. Yokohama Specie Bank, 299 N. Y. 139). We should not give greater effect to currency regulations of a foreign government than we give to the regulations and executive orders of our own governments.

In Cermak v. Bata Akciova Spolecnost (80 N. Y. S. 2d 782, affd. 275 App. Div. 919) in an action to recover money attached by the plaintiffs in a New York bank and owed plaintiffs’ assignors, the trial court held that even though no formal license had been procured to permit payment by defendant, a Czechoslovakian resident, to nonresidents as required by Czechoslovakian law and treasury regulations, plaintiffs should nevertheless obtain judgment.

The Supreme Court of this State has jurisdiction to determine this controversy between a resident and a foreign bank on a contract to be performed abroad; for in more extreme cases between citizens of foreign countries or sister States predicated upon contracts between nonresidents to be performed outside the State, it has been held that the courts of this State will entertain jurisdiction where the liability is recognized by the common law and is not violative of our public policy (Hutchinson v. Ward, 192 N. Y. 375; Wedemann v. United States Trust [390]*390Co., 258 N. Y. 315, 317, 318; Meyers v. Credit Lyonnais, 259 N. Y. 399).

The judgment now sought of this court is an adjudication of liability of defendant to plaintiff. In addition to the uncontested testimony as to the foreign law in this case that the employee “ could get judgment in Czechoslovakia ” and also get judgment here ”, numerous and recent precedents fully support the conclusion that judgment adjudicating such liability may be obtained in our courts despite foreign treasury regulations.

In Sabl v. Laenderbank Wien Aktiengesellschaft (30 N. Y. S. 2d 608) it was held that currency and foreign exchange regulations promulgated by Germany and by France did not preclude the entry of a judgment for plaintiff in an action by a former employee of the Eastern Branch of a French bank brought for wrongful discharge. This court unanimously affirmed (266 App. Div. 832 [June, 1943]). In Freund v. Laenderbank Wien Aktiengesellschaft (N. Y. L. J., June 29, 1949, p. 2289, col. 5) in an action to recover damages for breach of contract of employment entered into and to be performed in Austria, the defense of the German foreign exchange regulations prohibiting payment outside of Austria was overruled. This court unanimously affirmed (277 App. Div. 770 [May, 1950]).

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Bluebook (online)
279 A.D. 386, 110 N.Y.S.2d 446, 1952 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 4679, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perutz-v-bohemian-discount-bank-in-liquidation-nyappdiv-1952.