Jurisdiction and Venue Flashcards
Define: Personal Jurisdiction
The power of a court to hear a case over a particular person
Two types of Personal Jurisdiction
General and Specific Jurisdiction
Define: General Jurisdiction
a Defendant is generally liable for acts committed inside or outside of the state when there is consent, presence, or domicile
Define: Consent (General Jurisdiction)
Express: e.g. D signs a contract where they agree to be sued in the state
Implied: D fails to object to personal jurisdiction in first response to complaint.
Define: Presence (General Jurisdiction)
- Actual physical, voluntary presence in the state: even if D is in state for a brief time, if served while in the state, then that state will have general personal jurisdiction unless coerced into going into the jurisdiction or served while appearing in court
- Continuous and Systematic Contacts
Define: Domicile (General Jurisdiction)
2. Person: domiciled in one state - state where permanent home where D intends to stay indefinitely
-
Corporation - two domicile:
a. state in which it is incorporated, and
b. the state where its headquarters is located - Partnership/LLC - where its partners or members are citizens
Define: Specific Jurisdiction
the lawsuit must arise out of the contacts with the state
(the state and the U.S constitution must grant jurisdiction)
Michigan Long Arm Statutes
Defines when a D may be sued in MI
- Tort - D does any act in MI that results in a Tort
- Business Transaction: D transacts any business in MI from which lawsuit derives
- Contract- D enters into a K for services to be rendered or materials to be furnished in MI from which lawsuit derives
4) Matrimony, 5) Insurance, 6) Property
Personal Jurisdiction allowance under U.S Constitution
Personal Jurisdiction is constitutional if the D engaged in such minimum contacts that it would not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.
Purposeful Availment
When D submits themselves to the benefits and protections of the state.
(advertising, even a little bit, is likely purposeful availment)
When is Personal Jurisdiction not constitutional?
- Casual and Isolated Contact: the D’s contact with the state is merely a casual and isolated contact (ex: give business card on vacation in state X that eventually leads to a sale at shop in home state Y)
- No Contact: the D has no contact with the state
How can a D challenge personal jurisdiction?
- Direct Attack
- Collateral Attack
Define Direct Attack (Personal Jurisdiction)
The D must appear in the original action and ask the court to dismiss case (P may still refile in correct state)
Important: if D wants to object to Personal Jurisdiction, they must raise their objection in their first response or the objection is waived.
Define: Collateral Attack (Personal Jurisdiction)
When D ignores the suit entirely and makes a “collateral attack” when the P asks for the judgment to be enforced and D challenges that enforcement.
Define: in rem Jurisdiction
when property ownership or use is in question - states courts have power to determine all rights to the property within its borders
Define: Subject Matter Jurisdiction
the power of a court to hear a certain type of case
Four Categories of Federal Subject-Matter Jurisdiction conferred by Congress
- Federal Question Jurisdiction
- Diversity Jurisdiction
- Supplemental Jurisdiction
- Statutes that Confer Jurisdiction
Define: Federal Question Jurisdiction
Arises out of:
- a federal question created by federal law, or
ex: cases that arise out of U.S Constitution or Fed. Statutes such as civil rights or freedom of speech. - created by state law but depends on a substantial federal question
ex: quiet title claim regarding a federal taking
Note: the fed. Issue must appear on the face of P’s complaint
Define: Diversity Jurisdiction
Two requirements:
- there must be complete diversity of citizenship between Plaintiffs and Defendants
- amount in controversy must be over $75,000.00
a. cannot be $75,000 on the dot, must be over by at least a penny
b. requires good faith allegation that claim is over $75,000 unless there appears to be legal certainty that claim is really worth less.
Define: Complete Diversity
No plaintiff can be from the same state as any defendant
Person: domiciled in only one state - where their home is that they plan to stay indefinitely
Corporation: state where incorporated and state where headquarters are located
Diversity Jurisdiction with Aliens (“Alienage Jurisdiction”)
- Pure Alien vs. Alien will not be allowed
- Perm. Resident Alien v. Resident of same state is not allowed
- American Citizens domiciled elsewhere cannot sue on diversity (domiciled outside of the U.S)
- Corporation as Alien: if corp. is incorporated in the U.S but has headquarters abroad, the corp. is both an alien and a U.S citizen (defeats jurisdiction in a suit that involves another alien)
When does diversity have to exist?
At the time the P files suit.
Can different plaintiffs add their claims together to exceed the $75,000 limit?
No, unless they are seeking to enforce a single title or right in which they have a common or undivided interest
Define: Supplemental Jurisdiction
When there is a federal jurisdictional basis for one claim but the other - federal Court has discretion to assert supplemental jurisdiction over both claims if they service from a common nucleus of operative fact.
- P asserts a federal claim and wishes to tack on a state law claim - fed. court may exercise jurisdiction over state law claim
- D or a party added after the initial lawsuit asserts a claim against the P or other parties