Lex Bar Rules

Question 1

Federal Courts may have jurisdiction over a claim in one of three ways:

Answer 1

(i) Federal Question;
(ii) Diversity; and
(iii) Supplemental.

Question 2

Diversity jurisdiction applies where there is

Answer 2

no federal question, the parties are completely diverse, and the amount-in-controversy exceeds $75,000 exclusive of interest and costs.

Question 3

Complete diversity means that

Answer 3

no plaintiff is a citizen of the same state as any defendant.

Question 4

Corporations may have dual

Answer 4

citizenship.

Question 5

A corporation is a citizen both of

Answer 5

the state(s) where it was incorporated and the state where it has its principal place of business.

Question 6

A corporation’s principal place of business is determined by the nerve center test, which says that a principal place of business is

Answer 6

the location from which a corporation’s high-level officers direct and control the operations of the corporation.

Question 7

A federal court sitting in diversity will apply the choice of law rules of

Answer 7

the state in which it is sitting.

Question 8

Virginia’s choice of law rules provide that if the parties choose a state’s law to apply, then that will govern, so long as

Answer 8

the state chosen bears some reasonable relationship to the transaction.