Article 53. Recognition of Foreign Country Money Judgments · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 21, 2026
In one sentenceCPLR 5307 provides that a recognized foreign country money judgment becomes conclusive between the parties, like a sister-state judgment under full faith and credit, and enforceable the same way as a judgment rendered in New York, without shutting out recognition in other situations.
(a)If the court, in a proceeding under section fifty-three hundred five of this article finds that the judgment is entitled to recognition under this article, then, to the extent that the foreign country judgment grants or denies recovery of a sum of money, the foreign country judgment is:
1. conclusive between the parties to the same extent as the judgment of a sister state entitled to full faith and credit in this state would be conclusive; and 2. enforceable in the same manner and to the same extent as a judgment rendered in this state.
(b)This article does not prevent the recognition of a foreign country judgment in situations not covered by this article.
Plain-English Summary
Recognition under Article 53 isn't a symbolic gesture — this section spells out what it does. Once a court finds, in a CPLR 5305 proceeding, that a foreign country judgment is entitled to recognition, that judgment becomes conclusive between the parties to the same extent as a sister-state judgment entitled to full faith and credit would be, and enforceable in the same manner and to the same extent as a judgment entered in New York.
In practice, that means a recognized foreign judgment can move through New York's ordinary enforcement machinery in Article 52 like any domestic judgment. Subdivision (b) keeps the door open beyond the statute: this article doesn't prevent New York courts from recognizing a foreign country judgment in situations the article itself doesn't cover, preserving whatever comity-based recognition existed before.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens once a New York court recognizes a foreign country money judgment?
It becomes conclusive between the parties, like a sister-state judgment entitled to full faith and credit, and enforceable the same way as a judgment entered in New York.
Can a recognized foreign judgment be enforced through New York's regular money-judgment procedures?
Yes, in the same manner and to the same extent as any judgment rendered in New York.
Does Article 53 replace every other way New York recognizes foreign judgments?
No. Subdivision (b) preserves recognition of foreign country judgments in situations the article doesn't cover.
Is a recognized foreign judgment entitled to full faith and credit the same way sister-state judgments are?
It's conclusive “to the same extent” as a full-faith-and-credit sister-state judgment would be, even though the underlying constitutional doctrine only governs judgments between states.
Where does the finding that a judgment is entitled to recognition get made?
In a proceeding under CPLR 5305, which then triggers the effect this section describes.
Amendment History
Add, L 1970, ch 981, § 1, eff Sept 1, 1970; L 2021, ch 127, § 8, effective June 11, 2021.
Source & verification. Provision text, History, and Advisory
Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Consolidated Laws of New York.
Last verified July 21, 2026.
· Official source
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