§ 5116. Choice of law and forum.

(a) Express choice of law.--The liability of an issuer, nominated person or advisor for action or omission is governed by the law of the jurisdiction chosen by an agreement in the form of a record signed or otherwise authenticated by the affected parties in the manner provided in section 5104 (relating to formal requirements) or by a provision in the person's letter of credit, confirmation or other undertaking. The jurisdiction whose law is chosen need not bear any relation to the transaction.

(b) Governing law otherwise.--Unless subsection (a) applies, the liability of an issuer, nominated person or adviser for action or omission is governed by the law of the jurisdiction in which the person is located. The person is considered to be located at the address indicated in the person's undertaking. If more than one address is indicated, the person is considered to be located at the address from which the person's undertaking was issued. For the purpose of jurisdiction, choice of law and recognition of interbranch letters of credit, but not enforcement of a judgment, all branches of a bank are considered separate juridical entities, and a bank is considered to be located at the place where its relevant branch is considered to be located under this subsection.

(c) Role of custom or practice.--Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the liability of an issuer, nominated person or adviser is governed by any rules of custom or practice, such as the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, to which the letter of credit, confirmation or other undertaking is expressly made subject. If:

(1) this division would govern the liability of an issuer, nominated person or adviser under subsection (a) or

(b);

(2) the relevant undertaking incorporates rules of custom or practice; and

(3) there is conflict between this division and those rules as applied to that undertaking; those rules govern except to the extent of any conflict with the nonvariable provisions specified in section 5103(c) (relating to variation by agreement or undertaking).

(d) Conflict with certain other divisions.--If there is conflict between this division and Division 3 (relating to negotiable instruments), 4 (relating to bank deposits and collections), 4A (relating to funds transfers) or 9 (relating to secured transactions), this division governs.

(e) Forum.--The forum for settling disputes arising out of an undertaking within this division may be chosen in the manner and with the binding effect that governing law may be chosen in accordance with subsection (a).

Special Provisions in Appendix. See section 28 of Act 18 of 2001 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to applicability of transitional provisions.

Cross References. Section 5116 is referred to in sections 1301, 9306, 9700 of this title.