---
title: "Jurisdiction Determination"
url: "https://legal.ge/en/service/international-law-en/jurisdiction-determination-en"
field: "International Law"
description: "Jurisdiction in Georgia: the competence principle, exclusive cases, prorogation and parallel proceedings. Legal.ge."
reviewed: "2026-02-15"
updated: "2026-11-07"
publisher: "legal.ge"
---

# Jurisdiction Determination

> Source: legal.ge, https://legal.ge/en/service/international-law-en/jurisdiction-determination-en

## Forum Strategy — Where to Litigate

In an international dispute the first strategic question is not the content of the law but the forum: which country's court will be competent. The Georgian Law on Private International Law regulates this question fully: the principle of international competence (Article 8), the cases of competence (Article 9), exclusive competence (Article 10), agreements of the parties on competence — prorogation (Article 18), parallel proceedings (Article 19) and provisional measures (Article 20).

## The Principle and Cases of Competence

Georgian courts have international competence where the defendant has a place of residence, a seat or a habitual residence in Georgia (Article 8). In addition, competence exists where: the defendants are several persons and one of them has a place of residence in Georgia; the place of performance of the obligations defined by the contract is Georgia; the action concerns damage caused by a wrongful or comparable act and the act or the damage occurred in Georgia; the dispute concerns a branch of an enterprise whose seat is in Georgia; the case concerns the establishment of paternity or alimony and the child's or the recipient's place of residence or habitual residence is in Georgia; or the subject of the action is succession and the deceased had at death a place of residence, habitual residence or estate in Georgia (Article 9).

## Exclusive Competence

Georgian courts have exclusive international competence only over actions concerning: immovable property located in Georgia; the validity or dissolution of decisions of a legal person or its organ where the seat of the legal person or its organ is in Georgia; the registration of legal persons by Georgian courts or other organs; the registration of a patent, trademark or other right, where that registration or the application for it took place in Georgia; and enforcement measures, where their request or execution took place in Georgia (Article 10). Agreements of the parties on competence over these spheres are void.

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### What is the basic principle of competence?

The defendant's place of residence, seat or habitual residence in Georgia.

### When does exclusive competence operate?

Over immovable property, decisions and registrations of legal persons, registration of rights and enforcement measures — according to the Georgian connection.

### In what form is a prorogation agreement concluded?

In writing or orally with written confirmation; in international trade — in a form corresponding to usages.

### What is competence for provisional measures?

A Georgian court is competent if the measures are to be executed in Georgia or if the court has international competence.