Torts -- Wrongful death -- Jurisdiction -- Forum non conveniens -- Action against owner of resort located in Egypt arising out of terrorist attack on resort in which thirty-five persons were killed and hundreds more injured -- Error to deny defendant's motion to dismiss for forum non conveniens -- Either Israel or Egypt would be adequate alternative forum -- Trial court erred in finding that Egypt was not an adequate alternative forum because it was the place where the attack occurred, there were strong anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiments in the country, and plaintiffs would not be allowed to testify under Egyptian legal system -- Private interests -- Court gave excessive deference to plaintiffs' choice of forum where only three of eight plaintiffs are American citizens, only two have any connection to Florida, and all plaintiffs currently live overseas -- Because substantially all of evidence and most of the witnesses are located in Egypt, defendant would not be able to mount an effective defense if the case is tried in the United States -- Public interest -- Court erred in concluding that Florida law will govern because the laws of Florida, Egypt, and Israel would produce the same outcome under the facts of the case so that the conflict of law is a false conflict -- There was no evidence to demonstrate why Florida would have a more significant relationship to the occurrence and parties than Egypt or Israel
Reported at 33 Fla. L. Weekly D190aCourtesy of Florida Law Weekly       Subscriptions (800) 351-0917