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CISG-online number
684
Case name
Zapata Hermanos Sucesores, S.A. v. Hearthside Baking Comp.
Jurisdiction
USA
Court
U.S. Court of Appeals (7th Circuit)
Judges
Diane P. Wood (Circuit Judge), Richard Posner (Circuit Judge, reporting), Terence T. Evans (Circuit Judge)
Date of decision
19 November 2002
Case nr./docket nr.
01-3402, 02-1867, 02-1915
Claimant 1
Name
Zapata Hermanos Sucesores, S.A.
Place of business
Mexico
Role in transaction
Seller
Respondent 1
Name
Hearthside Baking Company, Inc. (doing business as Maurice Lenell Cooky Company)
Place of business
USA
Role in transaction
Buyer
Case History
Zapata Hermanos Sucesores, S.A. v. Hearthside Baking Comp.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
USA, 19 July 2001 – 99 C 4040, CISG-online 3969
Zapata Hermanos Sucesores, S.A. v. Hearthside Baking Comp.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
USA, 28 August 2001 – 99 C 4040, CISG-online 599
Zapata Hermanos Sucesores, S.A. v. Hearthside Baking Comp.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
USA, 13 March 2002 – 99 C 4040, CISG-online 663
Present decision reversing and remanding
Seller 1
Name
Zapata Hermanos Sucesores, S.A.
Place of business
Mexico
Role in trade
Manufacturer of the goods sold
Buyer 1
Name
Hearthside Baking Company, Inc. (doing business as Maurice Lenell Cooky Company)
Place of business
USA
Role in trade
Manufacturer purchasing goods as supplies for production purposes
Category of goods
69: Manufactures of metals, not elsewhere specified
Goods as per contract
Cookie tins
Price
857'796.90 USD (U.S. Dollar)
CISG applicable
yes
CISG applied
yes
Key CISG provisions interpreted and applied
Art. 74 (non-recoverability of attorneys' fees as damages under the CISG)
Key CISG provisions applied
Art. 7(2)
Non-provision-specific issues addressed
Recoverability of attorneys' fees as damages
This decision is cited by 19
Coöperatieve Federatie van Edelpelsdierenhouders Nederasselt U.A. v. Ceva Santé Animale S.A.
Netherlands Commercial Court
Netherlands, 19 March 2025 – NCC C/13/736825, CISG-online 7354
Brands International Corporation v. Reach Companies, LLC
U.S. Court of Appeals (8th Circuit)
USA, 30 May 2024 – 23-2164, CISG-online 7006
Brands International Corporation v. Reach Companies, LLC
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
USA, 11 April 2023 – 0:2021cv01026, CISG-online 6279
Goodman Food Products, Inc. v. Sunrise Foods Int'l Inc.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
USA, 01 June 2022 – 2:21-cv-06518-SB-ADS, CISG-online 6047
Minh Dung Aluminum Company, Ltd v. Aluminum Alloys MFG LLC
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
USA, 02 August 2021 – 1:20-cv-01764, CISG-online 5633
Zodiac Seats US LLC v. Synergy Aerospace Corp.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
USA, 23 April 2019 – 4:17-cv-00410-ALM-KPJ, CISG-online 4234
Victory Foodservice Distributors Corp. v. N. Chr. Liatsos & Co. Ltd.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
USA, 13 November 2017 – 17cv2227, CISG-online 2922
VLM Food Trading Int'l, Inc. v. Illinois Trading Comp. et al.
U.S. Court of Appeals (7th Circuit)
USA, 21 January 2016 – 14-2776, CISG-online 2811
Stemcor USA, Inc. v. Miracero, S.A. de C.V.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
USA, 30 September 2014 – 14-cv-00921 (LAK), CISG-online 2659
Profi-Parkiet sp. z o.o. v. Seneca Hardwoods LLC
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
USA, 23 May 2014 – 13 CV 4358 (PKC)(LB), CISG-online 2924
Le Pupille v. Nickolas Imports, LLC
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
USA, 15 May 2013 – 1:12-cv-668-TRJ, CISG-online 2678
Quanzhou Joerga Fashion Co., Ltd. v. Brooks Fitch Apparel Group, LLC
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
USA, 11 August 2011 – 10 Civ. 9078(VM)(MHD), CISG-online 3834
America's Collectibles Network et al. v. Timlly (HK) Ltd. et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
USA, 20 October 2010 – 3:10-CV-86, CISG-online 2484
Semi-Materials Co., Ltd. v. MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. et al.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
USA, 03 August 2010 – 4:06CV1426 FRB, CISG-online 1468
Forestal Guarani S.A. v. Daros Int'l, Inc.
U.S. Court of Appeals (3rd Circuit)
USA, 21 July 2010 – 08-4488, CISG-online 2112
Norfolk Southern Railway Co. v. Power Source Supply, Inc.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
USA, 25 July 2008 – 07-140-JJf, CISG-online 1776
American Mint LLC et al. v. GoSoftware, Inc.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
USA, 06 January 2006 – Civ.A. 1:05-CV-650, CISG-online 1175
Chicago Prime Packers, Inc. v. Northam Food Trading Co.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
USA, 21 May 2004 – 01 C 4447, CISG-online 851
Ajax Tool Works, Inc. v. Can-Eng Manufacturing Ltd.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
USA, 29 January 2003 – 01 C 5938, CISG-online 772
Decision published in 1
313 Federal Reporter, Third Series (F.3d) 385–392 [Full text – in English]
CLOUT number
611
Case identifier in the old Albert H. Kritzer Database
021119u1
Comments on this decision 14
Wayne Barnes, 'CISG', 79 Business Lawyer (Bus. Law.) (Fall 2024), 1297–1308, at 1306–1307 [– in English]  
David B. Dixon, 'Que Lastima Zapata! Bad CISG Ruling on Attorneys' Fees Still Haunts U.S. Courts', 38 University of Miami Inter-American Law Review (U. Miami Inter-Am. L. Rev.) (2007), 405–429 [– in English]  
Milena Djordjevic, '“Mexican Revolution” in CISG Jurisprudence and Case-Law: Attorneys’ Fees As (Non)Recoverable Loss for Breach of Contract', in: Mirko Vasiljevic, Rainer Kulms, Tatjana Josipovic & Maja Stanivuković (eds.), Private Law Reform in South East Europe: Liber Amicorum Christa Jessel-Holst, Belgrade: Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade (2010), 199–220 [– in English]  
Andreas Ehlers, 'Establishing a Uniform Interpretation of the CISG: A Case Study of Article 74', Nordic Journal of Commercial Law (NJCL) (2013), #2, 1–35, at 27 [– in English]  
John Felemegas, 'An Interpretation of Article 74 CISG by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals', 15 Pace International Law Review (Pace Int'l L. Rev.) (2003), 91–147 [– in English]
Harry M. Flechtner & Joseph Lookofsky, 'Viva Zapata! American Procedure and CISG Substance in a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal', 7 Vindobona Journal of International Commercial Law and Arbitration (VJ) (2003), 93–104 [– in English]  
Joseph Lookofsky & Harry Flechtner, 'Zapata Retold: Attorneys’ Fees Are (Still) Not Governed by the CISG', 26 Journal of Law & Commerce (J.L. & Com.) (2006), 1–9 [– in English]  
Marlyse McQuillen, 'The Development of a Federal CISG Common Law in U.S. Courts: Patterns of Interpretation and Citation', 61 University of Miami Law Review (U. Miami L. Rev.) (2007), 509–537, at 535–537 [– in English]  
Ali Talip Pinarbaşi, 'Are Attorney Fees Recoverable under Article 74 of CISG?', 3(1) Yıldırım Beyazıt Hukuk Dergisi [Yildirim Beyazit Law Review] (YBHD) (2018), 177–205, at 182–191 [– in English]  
Peter Schlechtriem, 'Legal Costs as Damages in the Application of UN Sales Law', 26 Journal of Law & Commerce (J.L. & Com.) (2006), 71–80 [– in English]  
Ulrich G. Schroeter, Internationales UN-Kaufrecht, 7th ed., Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck (2022), at no. 852 [– in German]
Ulrich G. Schroeter, UN-Kaufrecht und Europäisches Gemeinschaftsrecht – Verhältnis und Wechselwirkungen, Munich: Sellier. European Law Publishers (2005), at 244–245 [– in German]  
Jarno Vanto, 'Attorneys' fees as damages in international commercial litigation', 15 Pace International Law Review (Pace Int'l L. Rev.) (2003), 203–222 [– in English]  
Bruno Zeller, 'Interpretation of Article 74 – Zapata Hermanos v. Hearthside Baking – Where next?', Nordic Journal of Commercial Law (NJCL) (2004), #1, 1–11 [– in English]  
Full text and abstract of decision 2
Abstract of decision
CLOUT Abstract 611 (Language: English)
Full text of decision
Original language: English