Epic Games, Inc v Google LLC (Stay Application) [2022] FCA 66

Federal Court of Australia

Epic Games, Inc v Google LLC (Stay Application) [2022] FCA 66 File number: NSD 190 of 2021

Judgment of: PERRAM J

Date of judgment: 4 February 2022

Catchwords: PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW – application for stay of proceedings – where proceedings allege contraventions of Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) ('CCA') Pt IV and Australian Consumer Law ('ACL') s 21 – where exclusive jurisdiction clause requires litigation to occur in California – where clause subject to challenge under the CCA and ACL – where mandatory law of the forum – whether stay should be granted

Legislation: Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) s 4L, Pt IV ss 45, 46, 47(2), 80, 83, 87(1),(1A), (2)(b), 87CA, Sch 2 ss 21, 232, 237 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 59, 75, 80, 135 Sherman Act 15 USC §1 Cartwright Act Cal Bus & Prof Code §16700 et seq California Civil Code §§1559, 3399 Unfair Competition Law Cal Bus & Prof Code §17200 et seq

Cases cited: Akai Pty Ltd v People's Insurance Co Ltd (1996) 188 CLR 418 Allstate Life Insurance Co v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (No 1) (1996) 64 FCR 1 Apple Inc v Epic Games, Inc [2021] HCASL 234 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Pacific National Pty Ltd [2020] FCAFC 77; 277 FCR 49 Australian Health & Nutrition Association v Hive Marketing Group [2019] NSWCA 61; 99 NSWLR 419 Australian Competition and Consumer Commissioner v Ramsay Health Care Australia Pty Ltd [2020] FCA 308; 380 ALR 300 Black Diamond S.S Corporation v Robert Stewart & Sons (Norwalk Victory) 336 US 386 (1949) Casaceli v Natuzzi S.p.A [2012] FCA 691; 292 ALR 143 Cement Australia Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2010] FCAFC 101; 187 FCR 261 CIGNA Corporation v Amara 563 US 421 (2011) Commonwealth Bank of Australia v White [1999] VSC 262; 2 VR 681 Cung Le v Zuffa, LLC 108 FSupp3d 768 (ND Cal 2015) Dialogue Consulting Pty Ltd v Instagram, Inc [2020] FCA 1846 Epic Games, Inc v Apple Inc (Stay Application) [2021] FCA 338; 151 ACSR 444 Epic Games, Inc v Apple Inc [2021] FCAFC 122; 392 ALR 66 Epic Games, Inc v Apple Inc (ND Cal, 10 September 2021) 2021 WL 4128925 Global Partners Fund Ltd v Babcock & Brown Ltd (in liq) [2010] NSWCA 196; 79 ACSR 383 Hall v The Superior Court of Orange County 150 CalApp3d 411 (Cal 1983) Hearne v Marine Insurance Co 87 US 488 (1874) In re Harrods (Buenos Aires) Ltd [1992] Ch 72 In re Orange SA 818 F3d 956 (9th Cir 2016) Intel Corporation v Tela Innovations, Inc (ND Cal, 18 September 2018) 2019 WL 5697922 John Pfeiffer Pty Ltd v Rogerson [2000] HCA 36; 203 CLR 503 Karpik v Carnival plc (The Ruby Princess) (Stay Application) [2021] FCA 1082 Mabb v Merriam 129 Cal 663, 62 P 212 (Cal 1900) Matter of Bethlehem Steel Corporation 435 FSupp 944 (ND Ohio 1976) McKain v R W Miller & Co (SA) Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 1 Nedlloyd Lines B.V v The Superior Court of San Mateo County 3 Cal4th 459 (Cal 1992) Nicola v Ideal Image Development Corp Inc [2009] FCA 1177; 215 FCR 76 Nielson v Overseas Projects Corporation of Victoria Ltd [2005] HCA 54; 223 CLR 331 Spiliada Maritime Corporation v Cansulex Ltd [1987] AC 460 SST Consulting Services Pty Ltd v Rieson [2006] HCA 31; 225 CLR 516 Sterling Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd v The Boots Company (Australia) Pty Ltd (1992) 34 FCR 287 Tamaya Resources Limited (in liq) v Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (A Firm) [2016] FCAFC 2; 332 ALR 199 Telesto Investments Limited v UBS AG [2013] NSWSC 503; 94 ACSR 29 Trade Practices Commission v Queensland Aggregates Pty Ltd (No 3) (1982) 44 ALR 391 Verdugo v Alliantgroup, L.P 237 CalApp4th 141 (Cal 2015) Western Federal Savings & Loan Association v Heflin Corporation 797 FSupp 790 (ND Cal 1992) Wigmans v AMP Ltd [2021] HCA 7; 388 ALR 272 Wimsatt v Beverley Hills Weight etc International, Inc 32 CalApp4th 1511 (Cal 1995) Yan Guo v Kyani, Inc 311 FSupp3d 1130 (CD Cal 2018) Yei A. Sun v Advanced China Healthcare, Inc 901 F3d 1081 (9th Cir 2018)