Civ Pro Flashcards
The basis for federal SMJ must be
affirmatively pleaded in every case
Lack of SMJ may not be
waived
Objections to SMJ may be raised
by any party at any time (including by plaintiff, by the court itself, or on appeal)
Federal Question Jx must be
based on federal law and pleaded in plaintiff’s well-pleaded complaint
Note: only P’s claims count for establishing jx, potential federal defenses are irrelevant to determining federal question jx)
Requirements for Diversity Jx
(1) No P is same citizen as any D, and
(2) Amount in controversy exceeds $75,000
Diversity is determined
when the complaint is filed
Minimal diversity arises when
any plaintiff is diverse from any defendant
Applicable to:
(1) Federal Interpleader Act
(2) Class actions of at least 100 people with AiC exceeding 5 million (Class Action Fairness Act)
(3) Interstate mass torts (more than 75 dead)
Citizen’s domicile is determined by
residence + intent to remain indefinitely (can only have one domicile)
Corporations domiciled
(1) Where incorporated, and
(2) Where it has principal place of business
Corps can have multiple domiciles / citizenships
Aggregation of claims to reach $75k threshold is
OK for 1 P v. 1 D
NOT OK for 1 P v. Multiple D
NOT OK for Multiple P v. 1 D
Removal is only proper if
(1) Case could have been brought originally in federal court
(2) Removal made by Defendant (unanimous agreement within 30 days of service)
Removal based on diversity is only proper if
(1) Complete diversity
(2) AiC exceeds $75,000
(3) The action is brought in a state of which no defendant is a citizen
Upon Removal, State Jx
Automatically ends
P can file to remand back to state court, which is determined by the federal court
Supplemental Jx allows federal courts to hear additional claims if
the additional claim arises from the same case or controversy (common nucleus of operative fact / same transaction or occurrence) as the anchor claim
Supplemental Jx is
permissive (courts have discretion to hear or not hear additional claim - no absolute requirement)
Plaintiff rights v. Defendant’s rights under Supplemental Jx
Broadly available for Defendants to bring claims in under Supplemental Jx, much more limited for Plaintiffs (generally OK just against one defendant where no joinder rule is involved)
Must permissive counter claims independently satisfy diversity requirements for Supplemental Jx?
Yes (as opposed to compulsory counter claims which do not)
Cross-claims must satisfy
relatedness requirement (same transaction or occurrence)
Note: ALL cross-claims are permissive
May plaintiffs who do not independently satisfy diversity requirements join a suit against a single defendant if at least one plaintiff can meet requirements?
Yes (so long as other plaintiffs have related claims)
Long Arm statutes allow for
specific in personal jurisdiction over out of state defendants for particular transactions involving that state
Elements of determining PJ
(1) Has basis for extending PJ over out of state defendant been authorized by statute or rule of court?
(2) Is particular basis for establishing PJ permitted by Due Process clause
A defendant may waive objections to PJ by
(1) Consent
(2) Voluntarily litigating (absent raising PJ in defense)
(3) Substantial participation on the merits before raising objection
Note: Defense to PJ must be asserted in first response / motion, but may be done in an amended response (within 21 days)
Objection to PJ must be raised
At the first opportunity to do so (generally either motion to dismiss or in the answer)
To establish (specific) PJ, due process requires
minimum contacts between the defendant and forum state and consistent with traditional notions of fairplay and substantial justice
To establish minimum contacts, courts look to whether
defendant purposefully availed themself to the forum state and whether it would be consistent with traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice
General PJ v. Specific PJ
General PJ: May bring any claim whatsoever, even if unrelated to D’s contacts with forum state
Specific PJ: P’s claims must arise out of / relate to D’s contacts with forum state
Bases for General PJ
(1) Physical presence within state (absent force or fraud)
(2) Domicile (independent of physical presence)
(3) Consent
(4) Corporations (where “at home” -incorporated OR has principal place of business)
“Continuous and systematic contacts with forum state”
Specific PJ turns on
the connection between a lawsuit and the defendant’s contacts with the forum (arise out of D’s contacts / be related to those contacts)
Minimum contacts test
Bulge provision allows for service
Anywhere within 100 miles of federal court house for:
(1) Impleading 3rd party defendants under rule 14, AND
(2) Joining necessary parties under rule 19
In Rem Jx is
A form of specific PJ against a thing (the res)
State’s courts must have physical power over property (e.g. land, bank account)
Service generally includes
a summons and copy of the complaint
Federal Laws for service always allow
(1) Personal delivery
(2) Leaving summons at defendant’s dwelling with a person of suitable age and discretion
(3) Delivery of summons to an authorized agent
(4) Mail requiring a signed receipt (for persons in foreign countries)
Note: Service is proper pertinent to the laws of the state where service is made (e.g. if a state allows service by certified mail, and service is done so within that state, it is satisfied)
For service on minors and those adjudicated incompetent, service must be on
BOTH minor/incompetent person and a guardian
Publication only satisfies service if
Claimants cannot be located after a diligent effort has been made to locate them and serve personally
Defendant’s rights to waive service
30 days to respond to request to waive summons, if accepts 60 days to file response. Otherwise must respond in 21 days + pay costs associated with service
Preliminary injunctions require
(1) Notice to the defendant
(2) Hearing on whether injunction should be granted
Note: rarely granted, must show irreparable harm / likely to succeed on the merits / monetary damages inadequate
Objections to venue must be raised
at the first opportunity to do so (either pre-answer motion to dismiss or within D’s answer)
Federal Venue is proper where
(1) Any D resides so long as ALL defendant’s reside in same state, OR
(2) Where claim arose (where a substantial part of the events or omissions arose)
(3) A substantial part of property at issue is located
Note: Catch-all (if none of the above apply) is venue is proper where D is subject to PJ
Case brought in district with proper venue may
be transferred for convenience to another venue
Note: if transferred, law of transferor forum controls
Case brought in district without proper venue may be
(1) Dismissed, or
(2) Transferred to district with proper venue in the interests of justice
Note: if transferred, law of transferee forum controls
Under Erie, in a diversity case a federal court
applies federal procedural law and state substantive law
Procedural law: does not abridge, modify, or enlarge a substantive right (e.g. federal service of process rules in federal court)
The two “twin aims” of Erie
(1) Avoid forum shopping
(2) Avoid inequitable administration of justice
State substantive law includes
(1) Rules that govern conduct (e.g. required elements of a claim and defenses to a claim)
(2) Statutes of Limitations
(3) Burdens on state claims or defenses (e.g. evidentiary privileges)
(4) State rules on choice of law
If the choice of procedure would be outcome determinative, the federal court should apply
State law to prevent forum shopping
The role of the jury in federal court
is entirely controlled by federal law
Federal district courts follow state law by
(1) Following precedent of state supreme court
(2) Predict state supreme court’s ruling if no precedent exists
(3) Give respectful attention to decisions of lower state courts (not binding)
3 types of pleadings
Complaint, Answer, Reply
Requirements of notice pleading
(1) Fair notice of pleader’s claim
(2) Short and plain statement of the claim showing the pleader is entitled to relief
Requirements of a Complaint
(1) Short and plain statement of court’s SMJ
(2) Short and plain statement showing claimant is entitled to relief
(3) Claim for relief sought by pleader
Types of claims which require special pleading
(1) Fraud or Mistake
(2) Claims for special damages
(Must be plead with particularity)
Two-Step Inquiry post Twombly & Iqbal
(1) Identify allegations that are “conclusory” or “mere legal conclusion”
(2) Looking at remaining factual allegations and ask whether they add up to “Plausible” case for recovery
TLDR: Do allegations state plausible case for recovery? Plausible = somewhere between probable and conceivable
12(b) Motions to Dismiss include
(1) Lack of SMJ
(2) Lack of PJ
(3) Improper Venue
(4) Failure to state a claim
(5) Failure to join a necessary party
(6) Forum non conveniens
(2) and (3) must be raised at earliest opportunity
Note: When considering a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim, the court must (1) treat all well-pleaded facts in the complaint as true and (2) view the evidence and draw all reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the nonmovant
Motion for judgement on the pleadings
Parties agree on the facts, differ on the law
Motions to strike
Used to delete from a pleading scandalous or prejudicial matters not relevant, or used to strike invalid defenses
Answers must
(1) Respond to any form of complaint
(2) Contain Responses (admissions and denials)
(3) Raise affirmative defenses
(4) Raise compulsory Counter claims
Otherwise, these items will be waived
Affirmative Defenses in responses include
assumption of the risk, contributory negligence, fraud, duress, release, SoF, SoL
Answers are due within
21 days from service if complaint
OR
14 days after court’s notice to deny 12(b) motion to dismiss
Amendments to pleadings may be done
(1) Once as of right (within 21 days), and
(2) Sought from court & freely granted
An amendment relates back to date of original filing if
it concerns the same conduct, transaction, or occurrence as the original pleading
An amendment to add a party may be allowed when
(1) it concerns the same conduct, transaction, or occurrence as the original pleading,
(2) defendant received notice of action within 90 days of original complaint, and
(3) the party being added must have known or had reason to know that the action should have been brought against them absent a mistake
Pleadings and other documents must be certified, meaning they are
signed by an attorney of record certifying there is a factual and legal bases for the filing
Permissive joinder of parties is allowed if
claims arise out of the same transaction or occurrence and there is common question of law or fact
A party is necessary in the context of compulsory joinder when
(1) Complete relief cannot be accorded absent the party
(2) The necessary party has an interest in the subject of the litigation which will be impeded by the current litigation
(3) There is substantial risk of double or inconsistent liability imposed on others if party is not brought
(4) There may exist prejudice to existing parties
Feasibility of joining a necessary party requires
(1) Valid SMJ (joinder won’t destroy complete diversity)
(2) Valid PJ over additional party (includes bulge provision)
If a necessary party cannot be joined the court may
(1) Continue without necessary party, OR
(2) Dismiss the whole suit (necessary party is indispensable)