Plaintiff Not Bound by Forum Selection Clause, Federal Judge Rules

TRENTON, N.J. - A New Jersey federal judge has denied a reinsurance broker's motion for summary judgment on grounds of improper venue in two binding authority contract disputes, ruling that the forum selection clauses included in certain of the broker's agreements do not apply. Liberty Syndicates at Lloyd's v. Walnut Advisory Corp., No. 09-1343 (D. N.J.).

On Nov. 16, Judge Peter G. Sheridan of the U.S. District Court for the U.S. District of New Jersey ruled that the third-party plaintiff is not bound by certain terms of business agreements which require the resolution of disputes to take place in English …