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BGE 25 I 334 ΓÇó Art. 59 BV and arbitration clause: no prorogation
BGE 25 I 334Amtliche Sammlung des Bundesgerichts (BGE) / Band I14.03.1899Granted
Binggeli challenged a Sense district court order appointing arbitrators in a lease dispute with Schmutz. He argued that, under Art. 59 BV, the issue of whether he had to cooperate in constituting the arbitral tribunal had to be decided by the court of his Bern domicile and that the lease’s arbitration clause did not prorogue Fribourg. The Federal Court held the complaint timely, confirmed that the claim concerning the duty to submit to arbitration is personal in nature, and found no valid forum prorogation in the contract. The district court’s order was therefore annulled.
Art. 59 BV; arbitration clause and forum prorogation: the claim that the opposing party must cooperate in constituting an arbitral tribunal is a personal claim. If its existence or scope is disputed, and the respondent is domiciled outside the canton where proceedings are initiated, the matter must in principle be brought before the court of the respondent’s domicile. A mere contractual arbitration clause does not, without clear and unambiguous designation, constitute prorogation to the forum competent to decide the duty to arbitrate or to appoint the arbitrators. Neither the place of contract conclusion nor the location of the subject matter suffices as forum selection (consid. 1-2).
(Art. 1602 des Code civil fribourgeois und Art. 319 O. R.). Daraus folge, daß das vertraglich vorgesehene Schiedsgericht auch über letztern Streitpunkt zu entscheiden habe. Die Schieds gerichtsklausel enthalte stets die Wahl eines Rechtsdomizils. Bei Abschluß des Pachtvertrages und Aufstellung jener Klausel seien Parteien davon ausgegangen, daß das Schiedsgericht nach Maß gabe der Gesetze des Kantons Freiburg und durch den freiburgi schen Richter zu bestellen sei, d. h. vorliegend gemäß Art. 627 des Code de procédure civile durch das Gericht des Sense bezirks. Dieses sei also zur Ernennung des Schiedsgerichts zu ständig gewesen. Das Bundesgericht zieht in Erwägung: