Describe the need for forum-selection and choice-of-law clauses

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

One issue that often comes up when parties from different states or countries have a legal dispute is which jurisdiction's court will be used. Also, sometimes there is a dispute as to which jurisdiction's laws apply to a case. When the parties have not agreed in advance, courts must make the decision about which court has jurisdiction and what law applies. This situation causes ambiguity, and resolving it will cost the parties time and money. Therefore, parties sometimes agree in their contract as to what state's courts, what federal court, or what country's court will have jurisdiction to hear a legal dispute should one arise. Such clauses in contracts are called forum-selection clauses or choice-of-forum clauses. Of course, the selected court must have jurisdiction to hear the case.
In addition to agreeing to a forum, the parties also often agree in contracts as to what state's law or country's law will apply in resolving a dispute. These clauses are called choice-of-law clauses. The selected law may be of a jurisdiction that does not have jurisdiction to hear the case.