Personal Jurisdiction (PJ)

Question 1

personal jx (PJ) requirements

Answer 1

federal courts must have PJ over a party for its judgment to be binding
- federal courts can exercise PJ to the same extent as the state courts where the federal district court is located

Question 2

personal jx falls into 2 categories

Answer 2

1. traditional bases of jx, and
2. long-arm jx

Question 3

traditional bases of jx

Answer 3

1. domicile,
2. presence in the state when served
3. consent, OR
4. waiver (appearing in the action w/out objecting)

NOTE: the above comports w/ due process requirements

Question 4

long-arm jx

Answer 4

to assert PJ over a non-resident:
1. the state must have a long-arm statute, AND
2. comply w/ constitutional due process requirements: D must have sufficient minimum contacts w/ forum state so as not to offend tradition notions of fair play and substantial justice

Question 5

constitutional due process requirements

Answer 5

two prongs:
- Prong 1: minimum contacts (contacts + relatedness)
- Prong 2: fair play & substantial justice (fairness)

Question 6

Prong 1: minimum contacts (contacts + relatedness)

Answer 6

either:

General jx: contacts so substantial and of such nature that D is essentially at home, OR
- individuals = domicile in state
- corporations = where corp is “at home” (usually where incorporated or headquartered)

Specific jx: connection between forum state and underlying controversy AND lawsuit must relate/arise from D’s contact w/ the state
- regularly occuring product sales in a state does NOT justify jx of a claim unrelated to those sales

Question 7

Prong 2: fair play & substantial justice (fairness)

Answer 7

must be fair and reasonable for D to be sued in the forum state