Originally from International Arbitration Court Decisions - 3rd Edition

DECISION BY THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY IN 2007 CASE NO MISC 06-82-GEB 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24061

The “Oxus Gold” Case

Subject Matter:
Whether a U. S. court may compel testimony and production of documents from third parties residing in the U.S. for use in an arbitration undertaken pursuant to an investment treaty.

Findings:
An arbitration tribunal created pursuant to a bilaterial investment treaty between the United Kingdom and Kyrgyzstan was an “international or foreign tribunal” under 28 U.S.C. Section 1782 and persons found in the U.S. could be compelled to provide testimony or documents for use before for such panel.

Parties:
Claimant: Oxus Gold Plc.
Respondent: Jack A. Barbanel

Counsel:
For the Respondent: Douglas Scott Eakeley, Lead Attorney; Barbara Spillman Schweiger, Lowenstein Sandler PC, Roseland, NJ; Alan Stuart Modlinger, Lowenstein Sandler, LLP, Roseland, NJ.
For the Claimant: Geoffrey A. North, Lead Attorney; Thomas R. Valen, Gibbons, PC, Newark, NJ.

Place of Court Proceedings:
New Jersey, United States

Applicable Law:
U.S. Federal Law