Harvardsky Prumyslovy Holding v. Kozeny

OPINION OF THE COURT

Tom, J.

We are called upon to decide whether the courts of this state must recognize a foreign country judgment issued by a criminal court awarding a sum of money as compensation for damages sustained by the victim of a fraudulent scheme (see CPLR 5303). Defendant Landlocked Shipping Company argues, inter alia, that because the judgment was rendered by a Czech criminal court, it is not civil in nature and, thus, unenforceable as “a *79fine or other penalty” (CPLR 5301 [b]). No support for this interpretation is to be found, either in the statutory language or case law, and the…