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"In fact, English law is the preferred governing law for business transactions worldwide, even those that don’t have any geographic connection with the UK."

If too many litigants unconnected to the UK sue in UK courts, then they shall overwhelm the UK courts and unjustly crowd out UK taxpayers. Thus how does Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service safeguard English courts from being overflowed with foreign litigants unrelated to the UK? HM Courts and Tribunal Service has to get more out of these litigants than these litigants pay????

More than £200,000 £10,000

For example, Soviet oligarchs have sued for way more than £200,000. Unquestionably, their complex litigation cost English judges, not to mention HM Courts and Tribunal Service, WAY more than £10,000.

I know that English judges don't bill by the hour, but I instance with billable hours. Most judges in the Senior Courts were QC's. Presuppose £500/hr as the average fee for a QC. Then £10,000/(£500/hr) = 20 hours. But these complex cases must have taken judges way more than 20 hours to hear! And these lengthy judgments take way more than 20 hours to write!

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    Why do you think a person who lives in London is unconnected with the UK? – Dale M Aug 20 '22 at 09:51
  • @DaleM I don't. I emboldened "those that don’t have any geographic connection with the UK." And why do you assume these oligarchs "live" in London? Perhaps they just bought freeholds in London, and/or stay there a few days a year. –  Aug 23 '22 at 09:51
  • and why wouldn’t that be a connection? If I own property in London I would expect to have access to UK courts. – Dale M Aug 23 '22 at 10:13

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Courts are a public service

They run at a loss.

Notwithstanding, just because a contract is under English law doesn’t mean it will be heard in an English court. Other nation’s courts will determine disputes according to English law if the contract so stipulates.

Whether an English court will agree to hear a case depends on a) if there is a sufficient nexus with England or Wales to engage jurisdiction and b) if one of the parties argues that a court in another jurisdiction is a more appropriate venue, if the English court agrees.

Dale M
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  • Wow. That is surprising. Wouldn't it require much more training for a French or Kenyan court to be willing to hear/adjudicate cases according to English law as the judges would presumably have been trained in their respective local legal systems accordingly? – JosephCorrectEnglishPronouns Aug 20 '22 at 10:55
  • How is that a realistic faculty to offer? Presumably French courts can only judge according to French law? – JosephCorrectEnglishPronouns Aug 20 '22 at 10:55
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    @JosephP. The lawyers’ job is to make submissions on the English law. That is, both sides explain the English law to the French judge. Bear in mind the parties only have choice of law with respect to the contract - other law (French or English) still applies. – Dale M Aug 20 '22 at 11:39
  • @JosephP. The Judge might even throw out the submissions as insufficient for re-filing if he sees a problem with the briefs. – Trish Aug 20 '22 at 13:58