The Lis pendens Doctrine in Private International Law in Iran with a Comparative Study in the Roman-German Legal System

Abstract

The Lis Pendens doctrine has been recognized as a means of preventing parallel proceedings in private international law in most Roman-German countries. In Iranian law, this doctrine was accepted as one of the objections and obstacles to proceedings in domestic lawsuits according to paragraph 2 of Article 84 of the Code of Civil Procedure. However, in an international lawsuit explicitly under Article 971 of the Civil Code, the same lawsuit in a foreign court does not remove the jurisdiction of the Iranian court. This approach, which is based on the doctrine of national sovereignty and disregard for the principle of Comity for the action of the foreign court, has provoked criticism from some legal scholars. However, recognizing this doctrine in the private international law of countries can increase legal certainty, reduce trade and litigation costs, provide more confidence in international investment, and ultimately administer justice. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the approach of Roman-German legal systems, including the laws of France, Switzerland, and Italy. In this article, the possibility, conditions, and effects of accepting the Lis Pendens doctrine in private international law of Iran is explored, that will take a step towards the legal development of the country. These studies showed that in Iranian law, implementing legal and economic necessities require Lis pendens doctrine in international litigation under certain conditions. An Iranian court is allowed to take a step towards the legal development of the country by implementing Lis Pendens doctorine. The Iranian court is allowed to close the case in favor of the jurisdiction of the foreign court until the final verdict is clarified.

Keywords

• parallel proceedings
• lis pendens
• international lawsuit
• iranian law
• roman-german legal system