Page:Scottsdale Insurance Co. v. Morrow Valley Land Co.pdf/18

 C H G, Justice, concurring. I am in full agreement with the majority opinion to affirm on direct appeal and to dismiss the cross-appeal. However, I write separately on the choice-of-law issue to clarify the standard of review that is applicable in this case.

In conflict-of-law disputes for causes of action arising in contract, this court applies the law of the state with the most significant relationship to the issue at hand. Ducharme v. Ducharme, 316 Ark. 482, 872 S.W.2d 392 (1994). In cases not involving an effective choice of law by the parties, the following factors are relevant in determining which state has the most significant relationship to a particular case: (1) the place of contracting; (2) the place of negotiation of the contract; (3) the place of performance; (4) the location of the subject matter of the contract; (5) the domicile, residence, nationality, place of incorporation, and place of business of the parties. ''Crisler v. Unum Ins. Co. of America'', 366 Ark. 130, 233 S.W.3d 658 (2006).

Thus, in any given case, a circuit court is called upon to apply these factors to the specific facts of the case in order to determine which state has the most significant relationship to the contract. Recognizing that this is a fact-based inquiry, this court in the past has applied the clearly-against-the-preponderance-of-the-evidence standard of review to a circuit court's findings on a choice-of-law question. ''McMillen v. Winona Nat'l & Sav. Bank'', 279 Ark. 16,