CASE TITLE: INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS v.

Jack GOLDEN
254 NYS 2D 527, NY, Nov. 19, 1964

FACTS:
Plaintiff, the owner and operator of a government-licensed gambling
casino in Puerto Rico, seeks to recover before a New York Court the sum of $12,000
evidenced by defendant's check and I. O. U.s given in payment of gambling debts
incurred in Puerto Rico. It is conceded that in Puerto Rico gambling has been
legalized and that plaintiff's casino was duly licensed at the time defendant used its
facilities.
ISSUE:
Whether or not New York Courts must deny access to a party seeking
to enforce obligations validly entered in Puerto Rico and enforceable under Puerto
Rican law.
RULING: NO. The Supreme Court of the State of New York ruled that, since these
gambling debts were validly contracted in Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican law
provides a remedy for their enforcement, absent a clear showing that the
enforcement of the causes of action here would offend our sense of justice or
menace the public welfare, we may not withhold aid. We do not think that public
policy forbids us to enforce these contracts. There is no strong public policy to
prevent the enforcement of such contracts according to the law of the place of
performance.