Mooney’s Lawsuit Rejected by Denpasar District Court, Karsini Wins Absolute Jurisdiction Challenge

Denpasar District Court Declares It Has No Authority to Hear Civil Case No. 559/Pdt.G/2026/PN Dps

DENPASAR – BALI| The Denpasar District Court (PN Denpasar) has granted the absolute jurisdiction objection filed by Karsini Martia Kusuma in civil case No. 559/Pdt.G/2026/PN Dps, brought by John James Mooney.

The ruling represents a significant legal victory for Karsini’s legal team from Andi Law Firm and Partners after the panel of judges determined that the Denpasar District Court does not have jurisdiction to hear the dispute.

Karsini was represented by two attorneys from Andi Law Firm and Partners, I Wayan Swandi, S.Pd., S.H., MNLP., CTA., and Syair Abdulmutalib, S.H., M.H. Meanwhile, John James Mooney was represented by attorneys from James Richard & Partners. Notary Ni Wayan Yuli Eka Parwati, S.H., was also named as a Co-Defendant.

The lawsuit principally concerned alleged lease rights over land and buildings. Mooney claimed that the disputed assets constituted property belonging to him and challenged Deeds of Transfer and Assignment of Lease Rights No. 5 and No. 6, dated November 11, 2022.

Among other demands, the plaintiff asked the court to declare the two deeds legally defective and null and void, order the return of documents and management rights over the assets, and award material damages of Rp3.777 billion.

Karsini’s legal team challenged the lawsuit, particularly on the issue of the court’s absolute jurisdiction.

The defendant argued that the substance of the dispute was connected to the parties’ marital relationship and marital property, involving parties who are Muslim. On that basis, the defense maintained that the dispute fell under the jurisdiction of a different judicial environment.

The defense also raised objections concerning the completeness of the parties, the alleged premature nature of the lawsuit, and the legal construction of the claim, which it considered to combine allegations of unlawful acts and breach of contract.

The panel subsequently gave the parties an opportunity to submit preliminary evidence concerning the absolute jurisdiction objection. In that process, the plaintiff’s counsel was stated not to have submitted preliminary evidence, while the defendant submitted documentary evidence.

After examining the parties’ arguments and evidence, the Denpasar District Court granted Karsini’s objection concerning absolute jurisdiction.

The panel expressly ruled, “Granting the Defendant’s objection regarding absolute jurisdiction.”

The court further declared, “Declaring that the District Court has no jurisdiction to hear case Number: 559/Pdt.G/2026/PN Dps.”

As a result, the case did not proceed to an examination of the substance of Mooney’s claims before the Denpasar District Court. The plaintiff was also ordered to pay court costs amounting to Rp268,000.

The decision was reached during the judges’ deliberation on Friday, July 17, 2026, by Ni Made Oktimandiani, S.H., as presiding judge, together with Ni Made Dewi Sukrani, S.H., and Ida Bagus Bamadewa Patiputra, S.H., as panel members. The decision was then pronounced in an open court session on Monday, July 20, 2026.

The case had previously gone through mediation. According to the mediator’s report dated May 26, 2026, the parties failed to reach a settlement.

Meanwhile, Co-Defendant Notary Ni Wayan Yuli Eka Parwati, through her legal counsel, rejected the plaintiff’s allegations that Deeds No. 5 and No. 6 were legally defective.

The Co-Defendant essentially asked the court to recognize the validity of the two deeds and maintained that the notary’s duties had been carried out in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Andi Law Firm Secures Victory at the Jurisdiction Stage

For Karsini’s side, the ruling marks a positive outcome from the legal strategy pursued by Andi Law Firm and Partners, particularly by challenging the court’s absolute jurisdiction before the dispute proceeded to examination of its merits.

The granting of the objection means that the Denpasar District Court will not examine the substance of Mooney’s claims in this case.

Information received by the editorial team from Karsini’s legal counsel stated that the ruling had become legally final because no appeal was filed within the available period.

However, the copy of the ruling reviewed for this report contains the court’s judgment and the date it was pronounced, but does not include an official certificate or statement confirming that the ruling has obtained permanent legal force.

Therefore, the information concerning the ruling’s final and binding status should be understood as a statement from the relevant party and not as part of the court’s operative ruling.

The court’s decision to grant the absolute jurisdiction objection effectively ended the proceedings at the Denpasar District Court without reaching the substance of the dispute.

For Andi Law Firm and Partners, the ruling constitutes an important victory for Karsini Martia Kusuma in the jurisdictional stage of civil case No. 559/Pdt.G/2026/PN Dps.

Editor – Ray