Al-Bassam v Al-Bassam: CA 1 Jul 2004

The claimant sought administration of her husband’s estate according to his domicile in England. The defendant claimed the estate under Islamic law, and that there had been no marriage, and that he had been domiciled in Saudi Arabia.
Held: The real issue was as to whether Sharia law should be applied and whether the will was executed properly. Issues to be decided by a court in Saudi would follow the decisions to be made first by the English court. Case management directions were to be made to bring before the English court the issues which that court can, and should, decide before addressing issues of Islamic law. The perpetual restraint against the defendant issuing proceedings in Riyadh was lifted, and the claimant was to be allowed to amend her pleadings.

Judges:

Sir Andrew Morritt VC, Lord Justice Chadwick, Lord Justice Carnwath

Citations:

[2004] EWCA Civ 857, Times 22-Jul-2004

Links:

Bailii

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Citing:

CitedAirbus Industrie G I E v Patel and Others HL 2-Apr-1999
An Indian Airlines Airbus A-320 crashed at Bangalore airport after an internal Indian flight. The plaintiff passengers lived in England. Proceedings began in Bangalore against the airline and the airport authority. The natural forum was the . .
CitedWim Harry Gerard Maronier v Bryan Larmer CA 29-May-2002
The defendant had been a dentist in the Netherlands. An action for damages was begun against him, but then stayed. Judgment was later entered in the Netherlands after he had moved to the UK, and of which he was ignorant. There was no subsisting . .
CitedSociete Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale v Lee Kui Jak, Yong Joon Kim and, Lee Kui Jak (F) PC 14-May-1987
Brunei Darussalam – The Board was asked where a civil claim should be tried.
Held: The court stated some principles governing the grant of anti-suit injunctions restraining foreign proceedings. The inconvenience of a forum is of itself not a . .
CitedPelligrini v Italy ECHR 2002
. .
CitedLubbe (Suing As Administrator Of The Estate Of Rachel Jacoba Lubbe) and 4 Others v Cape plc and Related Appeals HL 22-Jun-2000
South African asbestosis victims suing in England submitted that to stay their proceedings in favour of the South African forum would violate their article 6 rights. A stay was refused on the non-Convention ground that, because of the lack of . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Wills and Probate, Jurisdiction

Updated: 31 January 2022; Ref: scu.198514