Civil Procedure Flashcards
Factors for constitutionality of specific PJ
Contacts
Relatedness
Fairness
Contact as a factor of PJ includes:
purposeful availment and foreseeability
2 ways to acquire general PJ over person
Def is at home
Def is served with process in forum state
2 ways to acquire general PJ over Corporation
State of incorporation
State of principal place of business (HQ)
Proper Notice consists of:
Proper Service of Summons and a Copy of the Complaint
Can plaintiff serve notice?
No. Service must be sent by 18+ non-party
Within how many days of filing must the notice be served
90 days
If def cannot be served, what is a substitute service option
- at def’s usual place of adobe
- with smn of suitable age and discretion
- Who resides there
Can the service be by mail?
Only if state statute authorizes it (no federal statute)
Court clerk mailed a letter to an Italian in Italy. Is it proper service?
Only if the clerk gets a signed receipt
Plaintiff mailed a letter to an Italian in Italy. Is it proper service?
No, must be by clerk
If defendant waives service, it also waives the following defenses:
None
Waiver of services precludes defense of lack of PJ. True or False?
False
When is a waiver of service effective?
When a plaintiff files a waiver with the court. Important - this is when time starts to run
Alex, a resident of New Jersey, was subpoenaed to testify against a criminal defendant in New York. Rachel personally served him with process of MVA case in which she was injured while Alex was in New York. Is the service proper?
No. 1) Defendant is immune from the process while appearing in another case
2) Rachel cannot personally serve process as she is a party to the case
Alex won a green card and moved to New York. He was involved in MVA in New Jersey. New Jersey citizen sues Alex in federal court. Is complete diversity satisfied?
Yes. Although a green card holder is not a resident of any state, alienage jurisdiction (citizen v. alien) applies as long as they don’t live in the same state
Plaintiff is a U.S. citizen domiciled in Italy. Plaintiff sues Defendant, a citizen of California, in federal court. Is complete diversity satisfied? Is alienage jurisdiction satisfied?
1) No, the plaintiff is not a citizen of any state. 2) No, the plaintiff is a citizen of the U.S.
Can an unincorporated association be a citizen of all 50 U.S. states?
Yes, because it takes on citizenships of all members
What is the citizenship of corporations and incorporated associations
Corporations - a place of incorporation and HQ. Incorporated Asscns - citizenship of its members
When a minor, decedent, or incompetent is represented by a person, what is the citizenship?
A representative’s citizenship is irrelevant
When a class action is represented by a person, what is the citizenship?
A representative’s citizenship is used
What is a minimum amount in controversy required for diversity citizenship SJM?”
$75,000.01 (unlike in contracts, SoF is $500 or more)
For a plaintiff to aggregate its claims against a defendant, must they arise from the common nucleus of operative facts?
No. claims may be unrelated
Amount in controversy aggregation rule
A single plaintiff can aggregate any claims against single defendant
Rule to calculate amount in controversy when equitable relief is demanded
Satisfied if 1) the plaintiff will gain more than $75k; or 2) the defendant will lose $75k
Alex (NY) sues Jake (NJ) and Susan (NY) in NY court, 11 months and 2 weeks later, Susan wins motion to dismiss. Jake removes the case to Federal Court. Should the case be remanded? (Timing?)
Removal must be made within 30 days. If diversity jurisdiction - cannot remove if 1 year has passed since filing. Thus, Jake has 2 weeks to remove the case. 2 Exceptions: 1) if Jake can show that Susan was added only to break diversity - he will have 30 days to remove (no 1y limit) 2) If a federal question is present, Jake has 30 days to remove (no 1y limit).
For a plaintiff to bring different claims against a defendant, must they arise from the common nucleus of operative facts?
No, a common nucleus of operative facts is only required for supplemental jurisdiction. i.e. when the claim does not independently satisfy SMJ.
When is supplemental jurisdiction available?
Always available for defendants’ counterclaims, but only available for plaintiff in Federal Question SMJs. There’s one exception for plaintiff’s to use supp SMJ in diversity cases - co-plaintiff may invoke supplemental jurisdiction (based on a claim of the first plaintiff) to meet the amount in controversy
P1 (CA) and P2 (CA) v. D1 (FL) on state law claim. P1’s claim is for $100k. of P2’s claim is for 10k, can he use supplemental Jurisdiction?
Yes, despite not having amount or diversity, he can supplement his claim to the plaintiff’s claim (who satisfied diversity and amount requirements) if joinder is proper = 1) claim arises from same transaction or occurrence, and 2) raise at least one common question of law or fact.
Plt (NY) was driving in NJ when his ex-wife (NJ) rear-ended him while working for D2(NY). Plt sued Ex-wife for MVA for 50k and for an unpaid debt of 50k. Plt also sued D2 for a single claim in the amount of 100k. Is SMJ satisfied over D1 and/or D2.
v. D1 – Yes, the plaintiff may aggregate unrelated claims to meet amount in controversy
v. D2 – No, no diversity jurisdiction & no supplemental jurisdiction allowed for the plaintiff
For purposes of Erie doctrine, what 5 issues are clearly substantive
- conflict or choice of law rules
- elements of a claim or defense
- statutes of limitation
- tolling of statute of limitations
- standard of granting a new trial because the jury’s award was excessive or inadequate