GA Civ Pro Flashcards
Two step analysis for personal jurisdiction
- Is there a statute?
2. Does it satisfy due process? (minimum contacts)
Statutory Bases for In Personam Jurisdiction
- Presence in Georgia when served
- Domiciled in GA but served elsewhere
- Business incorporated in GA
- Consent
- GA Long-Arm Statute
- Nonresident Motor Act
Presence in Georgia when served - what type of jurisdiction?
General jurisdiction
Exceptions: when D is tricked into the state or when D is only in the state to testify (immunity)
Domiciled in GA when served outside the state - what type of jurisdiction
General Jurisdiction
Business incorporated in GA or authorized to transact business in GA - what type of jurisdiction
General jurisdiction
Out of state corporations are subject to general jurisdiction as long as the business activity in GA is sufficiently continuous and systematic to be regarded as at home in GA.
Consent - how do you consent to PJ?
- you sign a contract (forum clause)
2. you waive PJ by appearing in court
Georgia Long Arm Statute - who can you use this against
Non-resident:
Someone who was a nonresident when the claim arose AND someone who is no longer a resident of GA
GA long-arm statute: what type of jurisdiction?
Specific jurisdiction
What type of contacts will trigger the long-arm statute?
- Transacts any business in GA
- Commits a tortious act or omission in GA (except defamation)
- Commits a tortious act OUT OF STATE that injures P in Georgia
- Owns, uses, or possesses real property in GA
- Domestic relations
What happens if a manufacturer creates a defective product in MI and injures person in GA?
Specific jurisdiction arising from this claim in GA if the D engages in some persistent course of conduct in GA or derives substantial revenues from goods consumed in GA.
GA Nonresident Motor Act: who can you sue?
Only nonresidents. You can only sue if, when the claim arose, the person was NOT A RESIDENT. (narrower than long-arm)
Ex: When you got in the car accident, the person had to be an out of stater at that moment.
What can you do if the person was a resident when you got in the car accident but now he is NOT a resident of GA?
Use the GA Long-Arm Statute -
“tortious act and injury both occurred in GA” prong
Does exercise of PJ satisfy due process? Standard:
Does D have such minimum contacts with the forum so that the exercise of jurisdiction does NOT OFFEND TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF FAIR PLAY AND SUBSTANTIAL JUSTICE
What factors help determine minimum contacts?
Remember the Mnemonic: My Parents Frequently Forgot to Read Children’s Stories
- how much contact has D had with forum
- PURPOSEFUL AVAILMENT: Has D purposefully availed himself toward GA?
- FORESEEABILITY: Has the contact made if foreseeable D might be sued in GA? - fairness and reasonableness
- RELATEDNESS: how related is the contact and the claim?
- CONVENIENCE: forum ok unless extremely inconvenient to D
- STATE’S INTEREST: in providing a forum for its citizens
What is the statutory basis for in rem jurisdiction?
An attachment statute
What satisfies minimum contacts for in rem jurisdiction?
Check to see how related the dispute is to the underlying property.
What types of actions do you bring in superior court in GA?
- Divorce
- Suits seeking affirmative equitable relief
- Cases affecting title to land
- any other cases that are no specifically vested in a special court (like juvenile or probate)
What types of actions can be brought in state court?
All civil cases except those reserved to superior court (divorce, equity, cases affecting title to land)
Magistrate court: what cases can it hear?
Anything the state court can hear, but the amount in controversy cannot exceed $15,000
Special rules for magistrate court
No juries
Must assert compulsory counterclaims
What if P asserts a claim in magistrate court for $5000 and D asserts a counterclaim for $20,000?
Case gets transferred to state or superior court
Subject matter jurisdiction in GA: what does this deal with?
Are we in the right type of court (state, superior, magistrate)?
Venue in GA: what does this deal with?
Are we in the right COUNTY in GA?
Venue: If it is a case involving title to land
Venue must be laid where the county where the land lies -> this is very restrictive, only if P is asserting her own title (not if she is trying to gain title in equity)
Venue: what if it doesn’t involve P asserting title to land (local action)
Every other cause of action is a TRANSITORY ACTION
Transitory Actions: venue general rule
Bring suit in county where D resides
Exception: If P brings suit against joint torfeasors, you can pick any county where a D resides if all Ds are GA residents
Where is venue proper when you are suing a maker and endorser? (exception to general rule)
The county where the maker resides (if both Ds are residents of GA)
Where is venue proper if seeking affirmative equitable relief? (exception to general rule)
If all Ds are GA residents, the county where substantial relief is sought from that D.
Venue: where is venue proper for divorce or alimony case? (exception to general rule)
If D is a GA resident, in his county. If D is NOT a GA resident, county where P resides.
- In an uncontested divorce, D can consent to venue in P’s county of residence
Vanishing venue problem in GA
*comes up when you sue joint tortfeasors in one D’s county
If the resident D (or Ds) is discharged from liability, the D who is NOT a resident of the county can argue vanishing venue and get the case transferred (even for re-trial) to a proper venue.
If more than one proper venue, P chooses.
Where does an unincorporated association reside when determining venue?
All counties where it does business or has a branch.
Where does a corporation reside when determining venue?
Registered office AND
Contracts cases: Where the contact was made or to be performed if the corporation has an office in that county (contracts cases only) AND
Tort cases:
- where claim arose if corporation has an office there and transacts business there OR
- where claim arose
- D has option to remove to where its principal place of business is w/in 45 days
Determining venue if D is a nonresident: D served in GA
Venue laid in county where service was made
Determining venue if Ds are ALL nonresident: long-arm
Venue laid in county where a substantial part of the claim arose.
Determining venue if at least one D is a resident: long-arm
County where D resides
Venue under Nonresident Motor Act
If all Ds are nonresidents there are 2 choices:
- county where the accident occurred
- where P resides
If one of more Ds is a GA resident, venue is where one of the Ds resides.
What if P sues in D’s county and the other D (nonresident) is sued there too. What happens if the resident D’s case is dismissed BEFORE TRIAL?
Transfer case to proper venue for nonresident.
NO VANISHING VENUE. Must be dismissed BEFORE TRIAL.
What if third party is impleaded, can he contest venue?
No, if the main claim has valid venue.