Jim, et al, The answer to the question of what jurisdiction's laws would apply is that it would be clearly stated in the contract. All contracts have a clause stating which jurisdiction's laws apply for disputes regarding said contract.
Phil > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of Jim Elwell > Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 3:38 PM > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:35172] Re: Government conversion mandates > > At 4 October 2005, 01:06 PM, Pat Naughtin wrote: > >Companies that do business internationally must already be aware of > >the issue of any contract's validity. > > > >Most nations now prescribe SI in their legal system since it > >provides a logical framework for all measurements in science, > >industry, and commerce. Often there is debate about the value of > >older systems but the legal basis of most nations' international > >trade is now SI. > > > >Contracts written using old units (lbs, ft etc) or even wrong units > >(micron, mils) may well be challenged in local or international > >courts since it is possible that they could render contracts > unenforceable. > > > >I know that the Australian law specifically provides for a contract > >to be 'null and void' if any unit other than an 'Australian legal > >unit of measurement' is used in a contract. > > What you say may be true of contracts between parties within a > specific country, but I would be very surprised if it were true of > contracts between parties from different countries. Meaning, how > would Australia command the sovereignty to dictate units of measure > to companies from other countries? > > There are probably two issues here: international contract law (what > laws governing contracts have been agreed on between the respective > nations) and "choice of law," which is choosing which laws apply in a > specific circumstance. For example, company US contracts to supply > company AU (Australia) with built-to-order widgets to be shipped to > a site in Malaysia. These products are destroyed in a fire on a ship > registered in Liberia while in international water. Which law applies? > > I am not pretending to know the answers, but would suggest that the > situation is more complex than any country simply declaring > non-metric units void. > > Jim Elwell
