FOREIGN JUDGMENT¹, evidence, remedies. A judgment rendered in a foreign state.

2. In Louisiana it has been decided² that a judgment rendered by a Spanish tribunal, under the former governmeut of the country, is not a foreign judgment. 4 M. R. 301 Id. 310.

3. The subject will be considered with regard, 1st. To the manner of proving such judgment; and 2d. Its efficacy.

4. - 1. Foreign judgments³ are authenticated⁵ in various ways; 1. By an exemplification, certified⁶ under the great seal of the state or country where it was rendered. 2. By a copy proved to be a true copy. 3. By the certificate of an officer authorized⁷ by law, which certificate must, itself, be properly authenticated. 2 Cranch, 238; 2 Caines' R. 155; 5 Cranch, 335; 7 Johns. R. 514 Mass. R. 273 2 Munf. R. 43 4 Camp. R. 28 2 Russ. on Cr. 723. There is a difference between the judgments of courts of common law jurisdiction⁸ and courts of admiralty, as to the mode of proof of judgments rendered by them. Courts of admiralty are under the law of nations; certificates of such judgments with their seals affixed⁹, will therefore be admitted in evidence without further proof. 5 Cranch, 335; 3 Conn. R. 171.

5. - 2. A judgment rendered in a foreign country by a court de jure, or even a court defacto, 4 Binn. 371, in a matter within its jurisdiction, when the parties litigant¹⁰ had been notified and have had an opportunity of being heard, either establishing a demand, against the defendant¹¹ or discharging him from it, is of binding¹² force. 1 Dall. R. 191; 9 Serg. & Rawle, 260; 10 Serg. & Rawle, 240; 1 Pet. C. C. R. 155; 1 Spears, Eq. Cas. 229; 7 Branch, 481. As to the plea of the act of limitation to a suit on a foreign judgment, see Bac. Ab. h. t.; 2 Vern. 540; 5 John. R. 132; 13 Serg. & Rawle, 395; 1 Speer's, Eq. Cas. 219, 229.

6. For the manner of proving a judgment obtained in a sister state, see the article Authentication¹³. For the French law in relation to the force of foreign judgments, see Dalloz, Dict. mot Etranger, art. 6.

FOREIGN LAWS, evidence. The laws of a foreign country. They will be considered with regard to, 1. The manner in which they are to be proved. 2. Their effect when proved.

2. - l. The courts do not judicially¹⁴ take notice of foreign laws, and they must therefore be proved as facts. Cowp. 144; 3 Esp. C. 163 3 Campb. R. 166; 2 Dow & Clark's R. 171; 1 Cranch, 38; 2 Cranch, 187, 236, 237; 6 Cranch, 274; 2 Harr. & John. R. 193; 3 Gill & John. R. 234; 4 Conn. R. 517; 4 Cowen, R. 515, 516, note; Pet. C. C. R. 229; 8 Mass. R. 99; 1 Paige's R. 220 10 Watts¹⁵, R. 158. The manner of proof varies according to circumstances. As a general rule the best testimony¹⁶ or proof is required, for no proof will be received which pre-supposes better testimony attainable¹⁷ by the party iybo offers it. When the best testimony cannot be obtained, secondary evidence will be received. 2 Cranch, 237.

3. Authenticated copies of written laws and other public documents must be produced when they can be procured¹⁸ but should they be refused by the competent authorities, then inferior proof may be admissible. Id.

4. When our own government has promulgated¹⁹ a foreign law or ordinance²⁰ of a public nature as authentic⁴, that is held sufficient evidence of its existence. 1 Cranch, 38 1 Dall. 462; 6 Binn. 321 12 Serg. & Rawle, 203.

5. When foreign laws cannot be proved by some mode which the law respects as being of equal authority to an oath, they must be verified by the sanction of an oath.

6. The usual modes of authenticating²¹ them are by an exemplification under the great seal of a state; or by a copy proved by oath to be a true copy - or by a certificate of an officer authorized by law, which must, itself, be duly authenticated. 2 Cranch, 238; 2 Wend. 411; 6 Wend. 475; 5 Serg. &. Rawle, 523; 15 Serg. & Rawle, 84: 2 Wash. C. C. R. 175.

7. Foreign unwritten laws, customs and usages, may be proved, and are ordinarily proved by parol evidence; and when such evidence is objected to on the ground that the law in question is a written law, the party objecting must show that fact. 15 Serg. & R. 87; 2 L. R. 154. Proof of such unwritten law is usually made by the testimony of witnesses learned in the law, and competent to state it correctly under oath. 2 Cranch, 237; 1 Pet. C. C. R. 225; 2 Wash. C. C. R. 175; 15 Serg. & R. 84; 4 John. Ch. R. 520; Cowp. 174; 2 Hagg. R. App. 15 to 144.

8. In England certificates of persons in high authority have been allowed as evidence in such cases. 3 Hagg. Eccl. R. 767, 769.

9. The public seal of a foreign sovereign or state affixed to a writing purporting²² to be a written edict, or law, or judgment, is, of itself, the highest evidence, and no further proof is required of such public seal. 2 Cranch, 238; 2 Conn. R. 85; 1 Wash. C. C. R. 363; 4 Dall. 413, 416; 6 Wend. 475; 9 Mod. 66.

10. But the seal of a foreign court is not, in general, evidence, without further proof, and it must therefore be established by competent testimony. 3 John. R. 310; 2 Harr. & John. 193; 4 Cowen, 526, n.; 3 East, 221.

11. As courts of admiralty are courts under the laws of nations, their seals will be admitted as evidence without further proofs. 5 Cranch, 335; 3 Conn. 171. This is an exception to the general rule.

12. The mode of authenticating the laws and records of the several states of the American Union, is peculiar²³, and will be found under the article Authentication. It may hereby be observed that the rules prescribed by acts of congress do not exclude every other mode of authentication, and that the courts may admit, proof of the acts of the legislatures of the several, states, although not authenticated under the acts of congress. Accordingly a printed volume, purporting on its face to contain the laws of a sister, state, is admissible, as prima facie evidence; to prove the statute²⁴ law of that state. 4 Cranch, 384; 12 S. & R. 203; 6 Binn, 321; 5 Leigh, 571.

13. - 2. The effect of such foreign laws, when proved, is properly referable to the court; the object of the proof of foreign laws, is to enable the ourt to instruct the jury what is, in point of law, the result from foreign laws, to be applied²⁵ to the matters in controversy²⁶ before them. The court are therefore to decide what is the proper evidence of the laws of a foreign country; and when evidence is given of those laws, the court are to judge of their applicability to the matter in issue. Story, Cont. of L. §638 2 Harr. & John. 193. 219; 4 Conn. R. 517; 3 Harr. & John. 234, 242; Cowp. 174. Vide Opinion.