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International Co-Operation in Litigation: Denmark

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International Co-Operation in Litigation: Europe

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Abstract

Danish procedures of international co-operation in litigation derive principally from unilateral legislation of general application, the Hague Conventions on Civil Procedure of 1905 and 1954, and bilateral agreements. Special agreements with Norway and Sweden simplify avenues and methods of assistance among the three Scandinavian states.

The Project gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Danish Ministry of Justice, which kindly reviewed the final draft of this report. Special thanks are due to Landsrets-sagfører Finn Hjalsted, LL.M., whose suggestions for amendments and additions to the report were of particular value.

LL.B 1950, University of Copenhagen; LL.M. 1952, New York University ; Member of the Copenhagen Bar.

B.A. 1954, Cornell University ; LL.B. 1959, Columbia University; Assistant Professor of Law , Rutgers University.

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References

  1. Retsplejeloven § 159 (persons with a known residence or place of sojourn in a foreign country may be served in the manner specified by the law of, or in ∿ Danish treaty with, the foreign country).

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  2. Retsplejeloven § 159.

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  3. See 2 Hansen, Hurwitz & Munch-Petersen, Retsplejeloven at 1439 n. 2 (1939). The party requesting service is expected to provide a certified translation of the document. A person seeking service abroad is not precluded from approaching the Ministry directly when the character of the notice to be dispatched is such that court approval is unnecessary.

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  4. Retsplejeloven § 160 (2).

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  5. See Retsplejeloven §§ 160, 162 (in criminal cases, when the accused has fled to a foreign country, constructive notice may be given through publication in the official gazette, Stadstidende).

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  6. Denmark adheres to both the July 17, 1905, and the March 1, 1954, Hague Conventions. The Convention of 1905 remains effective between Denmark and countries that have not adhered to the Convention of 1954.

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  7. Bekendtgerelse 15, January 29, 1932; Cirkulœre 27, March 27, 1955; Bekendtgørelse 276, November 6, 1931; Bekendtgørelse 14, July 31, 1936. The Danish word Bekendtgørelse may be translated as Decree.

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  8. Bekendtgørelse 20, January 25, 1912; Bekendtgørelse 57, March 11, 1932.

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  9. Bekendtgørelse 206, May 24, 1933; Bekendtgørelse 241, July 18, 1933; Bekendtgørelse 310, September 30, 1933; Bekendtgørelse 329, November 30, 1934.

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  10. Bekendtgørelse 17, September 28, 1936.

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  11. See Protocol between Denmark, Norway, and Sweden relating to reciprocal judicial assistance, June 26, 1957. The Protocol became effective in Denmark on August 16, 1958. Bekendtgerelse 59, October 20, 1958.

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  12. Deklaration 12, March 1919, Bekendtgørelse 48, March 14, 1912.

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  13. On Danish rules relating to service generally, see text at notes 42-46 infra.

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  14. Retsplejeloven § 296. On Danish rules relating to proof-taking generally, see text at notes 53-62 infra.

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  15. Letters rogatory may be issued only by a court. However, persons appearing before other tribunals in Denmark may apply to the court for the place in which the proceeding is pending for the issuance of a letter rogatory. See Retsrads udtalelse 145, in 1922 Ugeskrift For Retsvösen (The Weekly Law Journal) B 184 (opinion of the Advisory Commission on the Code of Judicial Procedure that a party to an arbitration in Denmark who sought the taking of testimony abroad could apply to the court for the district in which the arbitration took place).

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  16. See Hague Convention on Civil Procedure, March 1, 1954, art. 9.

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  17. See Protocol, June 26, 1957, supra note 11.

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  18. A Danish court is not precluded from considering a record of testimony taken abroad before persons other than a Danish consul or a foreign judicial authority.

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  19. Retsplejeloven ch. 28; see Hurwitz, Tvistemål 164 (2d ed. 1959).

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  20. The rules applicable to documents apply equally to other tangible evidence. See Hurwitz, op. cit. supra note 19, at 157.

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  21. Retsplejeloven § 298.

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  22. Retsplejeloven §§ 298, 282(3).

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  23. Retsplejeloven § 299(2).

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  24. Retsplejeloven § 300(4).

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  25. Retsplejeloven § 177.

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  26. Conférence DE LA Haye DE Droit International Privé, Légalisation DES Actes Publics Etrangers — Exposé PAR Pays, IV Danemark 1 (1959).

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  27. Ibid.

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  28. Ibid.

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  29. Ibid.

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  30. Id. at 2.

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  31. Oberneck & Sternberg, Legalisation, Freizügigkeit Vollstreckbarer Urkunden, Konsularisches Notariat 13, 69, 94-95 (Berlin 1927).

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  32. Cf. Conférence DE LA Haye DE Droit International Privé, op. cit. supra note 26, at 1-2.

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  33. However, a few legislative provisions are addressed to foreign law issues in particular classes of cases. See Bill of Exchange Law (Veksellov) § 87 and Check Law (Checklov) § 65, both of March 23, 1932 (when provisions of these statutes call for application of foreign law, the court may direct a party to present proof thereof).

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  34. See Philip, in 1960 Ugeskrift For Retsvæsen (The Weekly Law Journal) 150; note 40 infra.

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  35. See 3 0rsted, Eunomia 560 (1822); 4 id. at 161.

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  36. Nelleman, Den Ordinære Civile Procesmåde 326, 328-29, 847 (4th ed. 1892) (the court is not bound to apply foreign law unless asserted and proved by a party, but a judge may apply such law ex officio if the Danish choice of law rule calls for its application and he has knowledge of it).

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  37. Philip, supra note 34.

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  38. Support for the position that the courts should apply foreign law ex officio has been drawn from Retsplejeloven § 293(2), which requires Danish courts to know and apply Danish law, whether or not recited by a party. Commentators have reasoned that foreign law, when relevant by virtue of a Danish conflict of laws rule, may be viewed as an element of a domestic directive. See Borum, Lovkonflikter 71 (4th ed. 1957); Hurwitz, Tvistemål 115, 120 (2d ed. 1959). Cases in which the conflict rule itself is so formed that application of foreign law depends on a specific claim by a party are excepted from the proposed main rule. See, e.g., the Nordic Convention on Succession art. 6, 164 League OF Nations Treaty Series 243 (as to a Nordic national domiciled in Denmark less than five years at the time of his death, the decedent’s national law will be applied in lieu of Danish law, but only on specific request by a party; the court may direct the petitioner to prove the contents of the applicable Nordic law). See also note 39 infra.

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  39. Pursuant to an agreement implementing the Nordic Convention on Succession, when a person invokes the decedent’s national law, see note 38 supra, information as to the content of that law may be obtained in the following manner: Letters rogatory are sent to the Ministry of Justice or (in Sweden) the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the country whose law is to be applied. The authority in the state to which the letters are forwarded is obliged to provide information as to matters regulated by statute. As to matters not regulated by express legislative provision, information is to be furnished “to the extent the circumstances permit”. This deliberately indefinite terminology has been interpreted to permit the authority in the receiving state to respond in a doubtful case by reference to relevant decisions and legal literature without offering an expert opinion as to the appropriate resolution. See Philip, The Scandinavian Conventions on Private International Law, in 1959 Recueil DES Cours I, 245, 275-76.

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  40. Cf. the leading Supreme Court case, 1918 Ugeskrift For Retsvæsen 212, affirming a determination in which the court below, recognizing that the status of a child should be determined by the law of the parents’ domicile at the time of conception, applied Danish law when sufficient information concerning the foreign law was not obtained. The Supreme Court observed that the foreign law was not an issue in the case since the pleadings did not raise the point.

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  41. Compare Borum, op. cit. supra note 38 at 68, 73 (if the content of foreign law is not ascertained and the parties cannot be considered to have elected application of Danish law, the court should dismiss the claim), with Hurwitz, op. cit supra note 38, at 121-23 (favoring decision under Danish law rather than dismissal when foreign law is not easily ascertained). Cf. 1959 Ugeskrift For Retsvæsen 419, in which the Maritime and Commercial Court of Copenhagen applied Finnish law, claimed as an alternate foreign law when sufficient information as to the primarily claimed foreign law, i.e., Polish law, was not obtained. Cases in which the Danish conflict of laws rule renders the application of foreign law mandatory are excepted. For example, Danish courts may not grant a divorce unless the acts on which the petition is predicated would justify divorce in the place of occurrence. See Borum, op. cit. supra note 38, at 117-18. Absent adequate information as to the foreign law, the court must find for the defendant.

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  42. Retsplejeloven § 153(1). The general rules regarding service are found in Chapter 17 of Retsplejeloven.

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  43. Retsplejeloven § 160(1).

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  44. Retsplejeloven § 163(a)-(d).

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  45. Retsplejeloven § 156(1), (2). Substituted service upon a seaman may be made on board his ship. If the addressee lacks a permanent residence, substituted service may be made at the place at which he is sojourning.

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  46. Retsplejeloven § 343(3). In actions pending before the country courts, including the City Court of Copenhagen (see note 48 infra), as to persons residing within the court’s territorial ambit, notice must be given at least one week prior to the date specified for responsive action; persons residing outside the court’s territorial ambit are entitled to a minimum notice period of two weeks. Retsplejeloven § 427(1). For cases in the high courts, the corresponding minimum notice periods are two and three weeks. Retsplejeloven §339(1), 437(3). For Supreme Court cases, the minimum notice period is four weeks. Retsplejeloven § 398(3).

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  47. Bekendtgørelse 167, May 20, 1932.

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  48. The Danish general court structure is composed of: (1) the county courts, including the City Court of Copenhagen (Københavns Byret); (2) two high courts, one for Copenhagen and the Danish Islands (Østre Landsret), the other for Jutland (Vestre Landsret); and (3) one Supreme Court (Højesteret). A special court of particular importance is the Maritime and Commercial Court of Copenhagen which entertains maritime and commercial disputes for the capitol city. The bench of this special court is composed of a professional judge and lay experts with special knowledge of maritime or commercial practices and customs. On request of a party, lay experts will be appointed to adjudicate together with a three professional judge panel cases of a maritime or commercial character pending in a high court. In general, the county courts hear cases in which the amount in controversy does not exceed 3,000 Danish crowns. Appeals may be taken from the county courts to a high court. Cases in which the amount in controversy exceeds 3,000 Danish crowns are normally initiated in a high court and may be appealed to the Supreme Court.

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  49. See Hague Convention on Civil Procedure, March 1, 1954, art. 1 (providing for consular presentation).

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  50. See Protocol, June 26, 1957, supra note 11.

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  51. See Retsplejeloven ch. 17, especially § 156.

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  53. On party examination, see Retsplejeloven ch. 29; on witness examination, see Rets-plejeloven ch. 18. In the county courts, including the City Court of Copenhagen, a party may request permission to conduct an examination. See Retsplejeloven § 433(2).

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  54. Retsplejeloven § 184(1).

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  55. Matrimonial cases and cases concerning missing persons are the exceptions.

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  56. Compare Retsplejeloven § 304 with Retsplejeloven § 180(1) and §305(2). See Danish Penal Code §§ 158-160.

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  57. Retsplejeloven § 180(1), 182(1).

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  58. Retsplejeloven § 186.

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  59. Retsplejeloven § 181.

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  61. Retsplejeloven § 177(1), (2).

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  62. Compare Retsplejeloven § 304 with Retsplejeloven § 185(1).

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  63. Retsplejeloven §296(4); see Law 161, December 18, 1897, §7; Law 37, February 28, 1908, § 1.

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  64. See Hague Convention Relating to Civil Procedure, March 1, 1954, art. 9. 65 Bekendtgorelse 167, May 20, 1932, ch. 3.

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  66. See Justitsministerielskrivelse 340, October 20, 1906 (while the courts are under no obligation to execute such requests, the Ministry does not oppose rendition of the requested assistance).

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  67. Law 161, December 18, 1897, § 7.

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  69. Retsplejeloven § 177.

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  70. Bekendtgorelse 167, May 20, 1932, ch. 3.

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  71. Bekendtgorelse 15, January 29, 1932; cf. Bekendtgorelse 162, July 6, 1910.

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  72. Bekendtgorelse 57, March 11, 1932; cf. Bekendtgorelse 20, January 25, 1912. The agreements with Germany and Luxembourg designate the Danish Ministry of Justice as the appropriate addressee when the witness resides in Copenhagen. If the witness resides outside Copenhagen, the county court for the territorial unit in which the witness resides is the appropriate addressee. Denmark has a treaty with Japan providing for mutual aid on reciprocal terms regarding delivery of documents and proof-taking in civil and commercial matters. The treaty contains no procedural provisions. Bekendtgørelse 17, September 28, 1936.

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  73. Bekendtgørelse 206, May 24, 1933, ch. 3; Bekendtgørelse 241, July 18, 1933.

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  74. The certification may be made by a British consular officer. Cf. Hague Convention on Civil Procedure, March 1, 1954, art. 10.

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  75. Execution of British letters may not be refused unless (1) the authenticity of the letter is not established, or (2) the requested action falls outside the province of the Danish judiciary, or (3) execution is considered to endanger the sovereignty or safety of Denmark.

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  76. E.g., a British consular officer stationed in Denmark.

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  77. A first attempt to obtain the voluntary co-operation of a witness does not preclude a subsequent request for the assistance of a Danish court.

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  78. See note 63 supra.

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  79. See text at notes 19-25 supra.

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  80. Law 200, May 18, 1960; see Cirkulcere 258, December 12, 1960.

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  81. Civil marriages are recorded in a separate government register (Ægteskapsbog). Law 276, June 30, 1922, §37; Anordning (Decree) 481, November 17, 1922; see Cirkulœre 237, September 30, 1948, ch. V. Marriage settlements are recorded in a special government office in the judicial district in which the make spouse is domiciled (Kontor for registering af œgtepagter). Law 56, March 18, 1925, ch. VI; Cirkulœre, February 1, 1958. If a settlement is concluded after the marriage celebration, approval by the Department of Justice is required. Cirkulcere, October 15, 1956.

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  82. Law 155, November 3, 1874, as amended by Law 25, March 18, 1958.

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  83. See Law 57, March 14, 1924 (obligation of the court to notify the Registry of separation and divorce decrees).

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  84. Law 111, March 31, 1926, most recently amended by Law 176, April 29, 1960.

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  86. Law 23, March 1, 1889, as amended by Law 51, February 24, 1964 (partnerships); Law 100, March 31, 1926; Bekendtgørelse 115, April 14, 1926; Bekendtgørelse 486, December 13, 1950 (associations — non-compulsory registration).

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  87. Lovbekendtgørelse 192, September 1, 1939; Law 142, April 29, 1955 (patents); Law 211 and Law 212, June 11, 1959; see Law 324, November 28, 1959 (trademarks); Lovbekendtgørelse 193, September 1, 1936, § 2 (designs). There is no copyright register in Denmark.

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  88. Court decisions are recorded in judgment books (dombog). Forordning, May 21, 1845, 24.

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  89. Law 169, June 5, 1953, § 22; cf. Law 279, June 18, 1951. Arrangement for publication has been made by the Ministry of the Interior. Conventions, agreements, and treaties which are adhered to by Denmark are published in Part C of Lovtidende.

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  91. A notary in Denmark must have a law degree. The Danish notary, unlike his counterpart in many continental countries, does not participate in the organization of corporations or the effectuation of real estate transfers. A testator may, but is not required to, register his will with a notary. The notary’s attestation with respect to the identity, competency and intention of the testator constitutes prima facie evidence of the validity of the will. Danish notaries do not have authority to administer oaths.

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Authors
  1. Feodor Nielsen
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  2. Ruth B. Ginsburg
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Hans Smit

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© 1965 Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netherlands

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Nielsen, F., Ginsburg, R.B. (1965). International Co-Operation in Litigation: Denmark. In: Smit, H. (eds) International Co-Operation in Litigation: Europe. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-9208-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-9208-8_4

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