Civil Procedure Flashcards
Personal Jurisdiction Steps
not rule
- traditional bases
- long-arm statute
- Any exercise of jurisdiction over a non-resident defendant, minimum contacts, and compliance with traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice
Personal Jurisdiction
my rule:
Personal jurisdiction involves the court’s power over a particular defendnat.
—-
Personal jurisdiction involves the power of a court over the particular defendant.
Traditional Bases
There four traditional bases of jurisdiction are: domicile; presence in the state; consent; and in rem jurisdiction.
Domicile
(1) Individual’s domicile is their place of residence, where the individual intends to permanently reside.
(2) Nerve Center test - Corporate domicile is limited to the state of incorporation and state of primary place of business
California - any state court in California has jurisdiction over California residents
Consent
not rule
Consent is to appear before the court to challenge/submit lawsuit
Doing special appearance is not consent.
Presence in State When Served
not rule
Defendant is served presently at the forum state
In rem
not rule
In-rem jurisdiction refers to the power of a court over an item of real or personal property. The “thing” over which the court has power may be a piece of land or even a marriage. Thus, a court with only in-rem jurisdiction may terminate a marriage or declare who owns a piece of land. In-rem jurisdiction is based on the location of the property and enforcement follows property rather than person
Long-arm Statute
not rule
A long-arm statute is requried to acquire personal jurisdiciton over non-residents.
—-
Always needed to exercise jurisdiction over non-resident defendant in absence of traditional basis
Long-arm Statute (CA or default if not given)
The California long-arm statute provides that California courts may exercise jurisdiction over a non-resident defendant on any basis not inconsistent with the Constitution.
Due Process/Minimum Contacts
Any exercise of jurisdiction over a non-resident should be consistent with due process, and that due process requires minimum contacts and compliance with traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice under International Shoe v. Washington.
General Jurisdiction
General Jurisdiction requires systematic and continuous contacts such that defendant is “essentially at home,” which the Court considers nearly equivalent to domicile - for corporations, they are the states of incorporation and principal place of business; and for individual is where he is domiciled. In such case, the claim need not be related to the contacts.
Essentially at home
(1) Individual – domicile
(2) Corporate (nerve center test) –
(a) State of incorporation
(b) Principal place of business
Specific Jurisdiction
Specific jurisdiction requires: (1) purposeful availment of the privileges and benefits of the forum (by placing a product into the “stream of commerce”), (2) it was foreseeable to Defendant that they would be hauled into the forum court; and (3) that the cause of action arises from these contacts.
Purposeful Availment
my rule:
Purposeful availment involves deliberate entry into or intentional targeting of their goods and service to the forum state so as to invoke the benefits and protections of the state.
—–
Purposeful availment requires some kind of intentional targeting of the state. Purposeful availment requires that there be a deliberate entry into, or targeting of goods or services into, a particular state so as to invoke the benefits and protections of the state.
Arisen from Contacts
rule not stated
The relatedness requirement states that the claim or cause of action arose out of, or is related to, the contracts.
[this does not require that the specific product causing the harm be manufactured in the forum – just that the defendant have contacts related to the product in the forum so that there is a relationship among the defendant, the forum, and the litigation].
—
That the claim or cause of action arose out of, or is related to, the contacts, which is the relatedness requirement for specific jurisdiction.
(not stated) Under Ford Motor Co. v. Montana 8th Judicial District (2021), this does not require that the specific product causing the harm be manufactured in the forum – just that the defendant have contacts related to the product in the forum so that there is a relationship among the defendant, the forum, and the litigation.
Fairness
The issue of fairness requires consideration of several factors, such as: (1) Trial in the forum is not gravely difficult and inconvenient; (2) The forum state has an interest in providing redress; and (3) Plaintiff’s interest in convenient relief.
When to discuss notice requirement or adequacy of service of process
- Motion to Quash Service on the grounds of insufficient service,
- Motion to Dismiss for failure to properly serve, or
- The call of question otherwise raises it
Service of Process (Federal)
Under FRCP 4, any person over the age of 18 who is not a party may serve a Summons and Complaint.
Adequate service is effected by:
a) Personal service,
b) Service left at the defendant’s usual abode with someone of suitable age and discretion,
c) Service on an officer, managing agent, or authorized agent of a corporation, partnership, or similar entity, or
d) According to state rules providing for service.
Service Waiver to Accept Service by Mail (Orginial Mail) (Federal and CA)
Service may be waived if the defendant returns a waiver of service of process form that accepts service by mail
Service to foreign country (Federal)
Service in a foreign country may be as provided by:
a) international agreement,
b) foreign law, or
c) unless otherwise prohibited by foreign law, by personal service or by mail, return receipt requested, (but personal service to a corporation from a foreign country is not permitted.)
— Service must in that case be by international agreement or foreign law.
Service of Process (CA)
Any person over the age of 18 who is not a party may provide service. Adequate service is effected by:
a) Personal service;
b) Substituted service (leaving copy at authorized locations with specific individuals, plus mailing a copy);
c) Service by mail (if the defendant returns a Notice and Acknowledgment of Service); and
d) Service by publication (4 weeks in a newspaper of general circulation).
—
California authorizes service as follows (also by any person over the age of 18 who is not a party):
a) Personal service;
b) Substituted service (leaving copy at authorized locations with specific individuals, plus mailing a copy);
c) Service by mail (if the defendant returns a Notice and Acknowledgment of Service); and
d) Service by publication (4 weeks in a newspaper of general circulation).
Service to out-of-state (CA)
If service is on an out-of-state defendant, service may also be accomplished by certified mail, return receipt requested.
Service to Foreign Country (CA)
Service in a foreign country is effected by any method permitted under California law or by method pursuant to international law or country’s law in which service is effected, if the court finds the method is calculated to give notice.
—
Service in a foreign country may be by any of the methods otherwise stated (permitted under California law), or by any method pursuant to international law or the law of the country in which service is effected, if the court finds that method is calculated to give notice.
Mailing (Federal and CA)
Ordinary mailing - No
Certified mail, substituted service (mail plus leaving a copy at the business with specific individuals), or mailing with a Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt that is then returned by defendant