Legal Definitions - foreign law

Definition: Foreign law refers to the legal system of another country. It can also refer to the law of another state or country in cases where there is a conflict of laws.

Examples:

• A US company doing business in China must comply with Chinese foreign law.
• In a divorce case where one spouse is a citizen of France and the other is a citizen of the United States, the court may need to consider both French and US foreign law.

The first example illustrates how a company operating in a foreign country must follow the laws of that country. The second example shows how foreign law can come into play in a legal dispute involving citizens of different countries.