Citation. 481 U.S. 1 (1987) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant in a Texas state court, arguing that Defendant wrongfully interfered with a contract. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Under the Younger v. Harris abstention doctrine, federal courts should not act to restrain state civil or criminal proceedings when the moving party has an adequate remedy at law. ...
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Methode Electronics, Inc. v. Adam Tehcnologies, Inc.
Citation. 371 F.3d 923 (2004) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for breach of a licensing agreement. Defendant argued that venue was improper and moved for sanctions. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A court may order sanctions outside of Rule 11 for acts made in bad faith so long as notice and a opportunity to correct are provided. ...
Marrese v. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Citation. 470 U.S. 373 (1985) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioners separately sued Respondent in state court after they were denied membership. Synopsis of Rule of Law. 28 U.S.C. § 1738 requires a federal court look to the state’s law regarding res judicata in order to determine if a matter litigated in that state may be relitigated in federal court. ...
Kulko v. Kulko
Citation. 436 U.S. 84 (1978) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant in California to establish her Haitian divorce decree and increase Defendant’s child support obligations. Defendant argued California did not have personal jurisdiction. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A defendant must purposefully avail themselves of the benefits and protections of the forum state for the state to exercise personal jurisdiction over the defendant. ...
Hickman v. Taylor
Citation. 329 U.S. 495 (1947) Brief Fact Summary. During discovery, Plaintiff requested copies of Defendant’s attorney’s written statements from interviews with witnesses. Defendant argued the information was privileged attorney work product. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Privileged attorney work product cannot be requested during discovery without a showing of necessity. ...
Hanna v. Plumer
Citation. 380 U.S. 460 (1965) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner sued Respondent in federal court through diversity jurisdiction and served Respondent according to federal rules instead of state rules. Respondent moved for summary judgment. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A federal court ruling over a case under diversity jurisdiction must apply applicable federal rules of civil procedure, unless their application would encourage forum shopping or the inequitable administration of law. ...
Grable & Sons Metal Products, Inc. v. Darue Engineering & Manufacturing
Citation. 545 U.S. 308 (2005) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner brought a quiet tile action in state court against Respondent for property claimed and sold by the Internal Revenue Service. Respondent had the case removed. Synopsis of Rule of Law. State law claims can be removed under federal question jurisdiction when they implicate significant federal issues, unless removing the case would disrupt the division of labor between state and federal courts. ...
Gomez v. Toledo
Citation. 446 U.S. 635 (1980) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner sued Respondent under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 after he was terminated without a hearing. Respondent argued he was protected by qualified immunity and filed a motion to dismiss. Synopsis of Rule of Law. In the initial pleading for a lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff does not need to allege bad faith on the part of the defendant in order to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. ...
Gasperini v. Center for Humanities, Inc.
Citation. 518 U.S. 415 (1996) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner sued Respondent for losing 300 of the transparencies of his photographs. Synopsis of Rule of Law. In cases of diversity jurisdiction, and consistent with the Seventh Amendment, when a federal district court uses New York’s CPLR § 5501(c) to determine excessiveness of a jury award, the appellate court reviews the decision for abuse of discretion. ...
Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins
Citation. 304 U.S. 64 (1938) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant in New York federal court for injuries sustained from a train in Pennsylvania. Defendant argued it was not liable for Plaintiff’s injuries under Pennsylvania common law. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Applicable state statutory and common law is applied to a case in federal court under diversity jurisdiction unless the issue of the case falls under the U.S. Constitution or an act of Congress. ...
Dice v. Akron, Canton & Youngstown Railroad Co.
Citation. 342 U.S. 359 (1952) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner sued Respondent in state court, under federal law, for negligence. Respondent argued Petitioner had signed a release of all claims. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Federal questions arising in state court are governed by federal law. ...
Daimler AG v. Bauman
Citation. 134 S. Ct. 746 (2014) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiffs sued Defendant in California for actions occurring outside of the U.S., arguing that general jurisdiction was established on the Defendant’s subsidiary company having substantial contacts in California. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A forum state has general jurisdiction over a corporation when the corporation’s affiliations with the state are so “continuous and systematic” as to render them “at home” in that state. ...
Connecticut v. Doehr
Citation501 U.S. 1 (1991) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner put an attachment on Respondents house without notice. Respondent argued that this violated the Due Process Clause. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Prejudgment attachment without prior notice and an opportunity to respond violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. ...
Chauffeurs, Teamsters & Helpers, Local No. 391 v. Terry
Citation494 U.S. 558 (1990) Brief Fact Summary. Respondents sued Petitioner for firing them and Petitioners for not fairly representing them after they were fired. Respondent requested money damages and a jury trial and Petitioners argued that there was no right to a jury trial in this type of case. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Under the Seventh Amendment, parties presenting issues of legal rights and requesting legal relief have a right to a jury trial. ...
Celotex Corp. v. Catrett
Citation477 U.S. 317 (1986) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner moved for summary judgment, arguing that Respondent had failed to produce evidence that its products had caused her husband’s death. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Under Rule 56, the moving party carries the burden of showing there is no genuine issue of martial fact within the pleadings, depositions, and interrogatories provided by the plaintiff, without providing additional evidence negating the plaintiff’s claim. ...
Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc. v. Shute
Citation499 U.S. 585 (1991) Brief Fact Summary. Respondents sued Petitioner in Washington for negligently causing them harm. Petitioner moved to enforce the forum-selection clause mandating the lawsuit be brought in Florida. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Forum-selection clauses included on tickets are enforceable so long as they are reasonable and fair. ...
Burnham v. Superior Court
Citation495 U.S. 604 (1990) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioner was served with California court summons while temporarily in California on business. Petitioner moved to quash the summons, arguing the court lacked personal jurisdiction. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Consistent with due process, state courts have personal jurisdiction over nonresidents when they are personally served while physically present within the forum state. ...
Burger King v. Rudzewicz
Citation471 U.S. 462 (1985) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff brought suit in Florida for Defendant’s breach of their franchise agreement. Defendant argued that Florida lacked personal jurisdiction. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A nonresident defendant may be subject to personal jurisdiction under the Due Process Clause if they purposefully direct their activities toward the forum state, sufficiently creating minimum contacts with the state. ...
Asahi Metal Industry Co. v. Superior Court
Citation480 U.S. 102 (1987) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant for product liability. Defendant filed a cross-complaint against Co-Defendant. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A finding of minimum contacts, sufficient to establish personal jurisdiction, is established by the defendant purposefully directing actions towards the forum state. ...
Amchem Products, Inc. v. Windsor
Citation521 U.S. 591 (1997) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiffs sued Defendants for exposure to asbestos. Plaintiffs moved to certify a class action, encompassing millions of potential plaintiffs. Synopsis of Rule of Law. In addition to meeting all the requirements of Rule 23, the court should consider whether the class is being formed only for settlement when certifying a class action. ...
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes
Citation131 S. Ct. 2541 (2011) Brief Fact Summary. A small group of women sued Defendant, alleging discrimination on the basis of gender. The action was sought to be changed to a class action, with the certified class represented by the original small group of women who sued the company. This class was the largest ever class. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Class certification under FRCP 23(a) is improper if there is no common injury that may be resolved across the entire class. ...
Taylor v. Sturgell
Citation553 U.S. 880 (2008) Brief Fact Summary. Herrick filed a lawsuit against the FAA, seeking information under FOIA; however, Herrick’s case was dismissed. Taylor filed a similar action less than a month later. The district court granted summary judgment to the FEAC and the FAA, concluding that Taylor’s case was barred by claim preclusion. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A plaintiff is not barred from bringing a similar claim under virtual representation when both claims involve the same project and the parties to each suit are repres ...
Shady Grove Orthopedic Associates v. Allstate Insurance Co.
Citation559 US 393 (2010) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff brought a class action against Defendant for failure to pay interest on overdue benefits. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A state law that prevents certain types of damages from being pursued via class action may not limit federal class actions that satisfy the requirements of FRCP Rule 23. ...
Hamdi v. Rumsfeld
Citation542 U.S. 507 (2004) Brief Fact Summary. Petitioners, a citizen-detainee and his father, petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed the petition, finding that the citizen-detainee’s detention was legally authorized and that he was entitled to no further opportunity to challenge his enemy-combatant label. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Due process guarantees that American citizens detained as enemy combatants must be given a meaningful opportunity to contest the factual basis for tha ...
Gunn v. Minton
Citation133 S. Ct. 1059 (2013) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff brought a malpractice action against Defendant, who had represented Plaintiff in a federal patent infringement action. Plaintiff argued in his malpractice suit that his infringement claim had failed because Defendant failed to raise the “experimental use” exception available under federal patent law. On appeal, the Texas Supreme Court found that the case should have been brought in federal court because Plaintiff’s malpractice claim turned on a question of federal patent law. Synops ...