Forum shopping, which consists of strategic forum selection, parallel litigation and serial litigation, is a phenomenon of growing importance in international adjudication. Preliminary objections (or a party's placement of conditions on the existence and development of the adjudicatory process) have been traditionally conceived as barriers to adjudication before single forums. This book discusses how adjudicators and parties may refer to questions of jurisdiction and admissibility in order to avoid conflicting decisions on overlapping cases, excessive exercises of jurisdiction and the proliferation of litigation. It highlights an emerging, overlooked function of preliminary objections: transmission belts of procedure-regulating rules across the 'international judiciary'. Activating this often dormant, managerial function of preliminary objections would nurture coordination of otherwise independent and autonomous tribunals.

'His work is well researched and competently structured and presents a subtle and persuasive argument …'

John G. Merrills Source: Netherlands International Law Review

'Salles articulates his positions on all these topics with impressive clarity, and on the basis of a wealth of materials and sources. He therefore should be commended for requiring us to re-examine our assumptions about the building blocks of international adjudication. Ultimately, Salles succeeds in laying out in a sophisticated manner the legal rules and judicial practices relating to the procedural aspects of dealing with international forum shopping. In doing this he offers what is probably, to date, the most comprehensive analysis of a difficult problem, which has been experienced, and will continue to be experienced … his ability to described in convincing terms a procedural issue that cuts across different international judicial institutions and to offer a procedural fix thereto is not a small feat by any means.'

Yuval Shany Source: The Journal of World Investment and Trade Law