Any legal dispute about this agreement will be decided under California law, and lawsuits must be filed in San Francisco County courts.
This analysis describes what Snowflake's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The governing law and exclusive venue clauses determine where and under what legal framework disputes must be litigated, which may create logistical and financial barriers for customers located outside California and may interact with mandatory local law protections in other jurisdictions.
Interpretive note: Enforceability of the exclusive California venue clause against EU, UK, and non-US parties may be limited by mandatory provisions of local law and applicable international private law instruments.
Removal of court jurisdiction provision correlates with addition of mandatory arbitration clause, eliminating customer option to litigate disputes in California courts.
View full change record →Expanded jurisdiction scope to include 'state or federal courts' instead of just 'courts', and changed from 'personal jurisdiction' to 'exclusive' jurisdiction with broader procedural scope.
View full change record →The agreement requires that any legal proceedings be brought exclusively in San Francisco County, California courts under California law, which may be operationally burdensome for non-US customers or organizations located in other states and may not override mandatory local law protections in certain jurisdictions.
How other platforms handle this
In the EU and EEA, the choice of Texas governing law shall not apply only where a mandatory consumer protection law explicitly prohibits such choice of law provisions.
For any claims that are not subject to arbitration...U.S. Residents: Delaware law; venue exclusively in the state or federal courts in New Castle County, Delaware
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California and the United States without regard to conflicts of laws provisions
"This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Francisco County, California.Excerpt from Snowflake's Terms of Service
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: California law governs this agreement, which means California's Uniform Commercial Code, contract law principles, and relevant statutory provisions apply.
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
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The governing law and exclusive venue clauses determine where and under what legal framework disputes must be litigated, which may create logistical and financial barriers for customers located outside California and may interact with mandatory local law protections in other jurisdictions.
The agreement requires that any legal proceedings be brought exclusively in San Francisco County, California courts under California law, which may be operationally burdensome for non-US customers or organizations located in other states and may not override mandatory local law protections in certain jurisdictions.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 266 platforms. See the full comparison.
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