2/3/10
Professor Craig Charles Beles
Seattle, Washington, USA
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¡Treaties & Conventions
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¡Customary International Law (General & Consistent Practice of Concerned States)
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¡General Principles of International Law (Common Domestic Law)
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¡Judicial Decisions & Writings of Experts
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¡“EVERY  TREATY  IN  FORCE  IS  BINDING UPON  THE  PARTIES  TO  IT  AND MUST  BE  PERFORMED  BY
THEM  IN GOOD  FAITH.”
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¡Art 26 of 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
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¡ACT OF STATE:  Courts will not determine the validity of the actions of a foreign government which
it takes within its own territory.
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¡FOREIGN SOVERIEGN IMMUNITY:  Foreign  states have some limited immunity from liability for their
activities.
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¡COMITY:  Reciprocal courtesy between nations.  Courts should not act to demean the jurisdiction,
law & judicial decisions of another nation.
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¡POLITICAL QUESTION:  Some issues are better off left to the executive and legislature.  Not
appropriate for courts to decide.
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¡PERSONAL  JURISDICTION:  Limitations on who can be brought before the courts of the U.S., limits
international cases heard by courts.
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¡FORUM NON CONVENIENS:  Even if court has subject matter and personal jurisdiction, it weighs
private & public factors and declines jurisdiction.
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¡LONG- ARM  STATUTES
¡TERRITORIALITY
¡DUE  PROCESS  OF  LAW
¡MINIMUM  CONTACTS
¡STREAM  OF  COMMERCE
¡FORESEEABILITY
¡PURPOSEFUL  AVAILMENT
¡GENERAL  &  SPECIFIC  PERSONAL  JURISD.
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¡“As a moth is drawn to the light, so is a litigant drawn to the United States. If he can only get
his case into their courts, he stands to win a fortune.  At no cost to himself; and at no risk of
having to pay anything to the other side.... There is also in the United States a right to trial by
jury.  These are prone to award fabulous damages. They are notoriously sympathetic.... The
plaintiff holds all the cards.”       English Lord Denning (1899-1999)
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¡Long-arm statutes fall into two categories:
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1.The first enumerates factual situations likely to satisfy the “minimum-contacts” test of
International Shoe.
2.The second type provides jurisdiction over an  individual or corporation as long as that
jurisdiction is not inconsistent with   constitutional restrictions.
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¡1)  Borrow state long-arm statute in diversity.
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¡2)  Some special federal statutes contain their own long-arm statute, e.g., antitrust, securities.
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¡3)  If #1 and #2 do not apply, court may, in federal question,  assert  personal jurisdiction to
the limits of due process.
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§FIFTH -  “. . . nor shall any person . . . be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due
process of law . . . .”  (Added in 1791)
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§FOURTEENTH –  “. . . Nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without
due process of law . . . .”  (Added in 1868)
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§MAGNA CARTA -  "No man of what state or condition he be, shall be put out of his lands or
tenements nor taken, nor disinherited, nor put to death, without he be brought to answer by due
process of law.”  (1354)
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¡Every state possesses exclusive jurisdiction and sovereignty over persons and property within its
territory.
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¡No state can exercise direct jurisdiction and authority over persons and property without its
territory.
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¡Process from the tribunals of one state cannot run into another state.
¡
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¡
¡Due Process Requires “Certain Minimum Contacts with [the Forum] Such That the Maintenance of the
Suit Does Not Offend Traditional Notions of Fair Play and Substantial Justice.”

¡MERE “FORESEEABILITY” OF CONTACT IS NOT ENOUGH.
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¡DEFENDANT’S MINIMUM CONTACTS AND PURPOSEFUL AVAILMENT MUST BE SUCH THAT IT SHOULD “REASONABLY
ANTICIPATE BEING HAILED INTO COURT.”
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¡Asahi Argues No Personal Jurisdiction Because:
¡
¡1) It sold valves only from Japan to Taiwan.
¡2) It did no business in California.
¡3) It did not import products from California.
¡4) Only 1.2% of its income came from sale of valves to Cheng Shin.
¡5) Only 20% of Cheng Shin’ sales in U.S. were in California.
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¡“SPECIFIC”  BASED ON MINIMUM CONTACTS
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¡
¡Due Process permits the forum tribunal to assert personal jurisdiction for claims related to or
arising out of defendant’s minimum contacts.
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¡So if you only have minimum contacts, claim must be related to or arise out of contacts.
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¡“GENERAL”  BASED ON TERRITORIALITY
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§1.   Continuous & Systematic Activities in Forum
§2. Nationality, Domicile & Residence of Defendant
§3. Incorporation or Registration of Business Entity
§4. Consent or Waiver
§5. Tag Service (Temporary Presence in Forum)
5.
§So if you have any of these, claim need not be related to or arise out of contacts.
¡
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