290 likes | 400 Vues
Chapter 2. Civil Litigation. CALIFORNIA COURTS. CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT 7 JUSTICES CALIFORNIA APPELLATE COURTS 6 DISTRICTS CALIFORNIA TRIAL COURTS—SUPERIOR COURTS ONE IN EACH COUNTY. CALIFORNIA TRIAL COURTS. HISTORY—MUNICIPAL AND SUPERIOR
E N D
Chapter 2 Civil Litigation
CALIFORNIA COURTS • CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT • 7 JUSTICES • CALIFORNIA APPELLATE COURTS • 6 DISTRICTS • CALIFORNIA TRIAL COURTS—SUPERIOR COURTS • ONE IN EACH COUNTY
CALIFORNIA TRIAL COURTS • HISTORY—MUNICIPAL AND SUPERIOR • CURRENT—SUPERIOR: LIMITED AND UNLIMITED JURISDICTION • LIMITED JURISDICTION—UNDER 25K
JURISDICTION Power or authority that a court has to hear a case
JURISDICTION • SUBJECT MATTER • PERSONAL (In Personam) • IN REM/QUASI IN REM
JURISDICTION REQUIREMENTS • SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION • AND EITHER • PERSONAL OR IN REM OR QUASI IN REM
SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION • POWER TO HEAR THE TYPE OF CASE BEFORE THE COURT • FEDERAL COURTS AND STATE COURTS HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION • SOMETIMES EXCLUSIVE • SOMETIMES CONCURRENT
FEDERAL COURT SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION • Actions under U.S.Constitution • Actions under federal law • may be exclusive or concurrent • Actions where U.S. is party • Diversity of Citizenship • concurrent jurisdiction with states
DIVERSITY OF CITIZENSHIP • Plaintiffs and Defendants from different states • No plaintiff and no defendant from same state • Amount in controversy exceeds $75,000 • Almost always concurrent jurisdiction with at least one state • Corporations: Citizens of state where incorporated and principal place of business (nerve center) • Special rules for mass tort cases
DIVERSITY--EXAMPLES • Auto Accident in California • Plaintiff driver a Calif. Resident • Defendant driver a Nevada Resident • Auto Accident in California • Plaintiff driver and Plaintiff passenger Calif. Res. • Defendant driver and Def. Owner, Nev. Res. • Auto Accident in California • Plaintiff driver, Calif. Res • Def. Driver, Nev. Res; def. Owner, Calif. res
CONCURRENT JURISDICTION • Plaintiff chooses forum court • If state court chosen, defendant generally has right to remove to federal court
PENDENT JURISDICTION • Right of federal court to hear cause of action coming under state subject matter jurisdiction if combined with cause of action based on federal subject matter jurisdiction
STATE COURT JURISDICTION • EVERYTHING NOT WITHIN EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF FEDERAL COURTS • GENERAL V. LIMITED JURISDICTION • Different rules for procedure, especially discovery • Different rules for appeal
LACK OF SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION • JUDGMENT IS VOID • CAN BE ATTACKED AT ANY TIME • CHALLENGED BY • Motion to Dismiss (fed ct.) • Demurrer (state court)
PERSONAL JURISDICTION • AKA IN PERSONAM JURISDICTION • Authority over the defendant • power to render a judgment binding on a def. • Constitutional Requirement • Due Process Clause of 14th Amend.
ACQUIRING PERSONAL JURISDICTION • Courts have personal jurisdiction over defendants who reside within state • Courts have personal jurisdiction over non-resident defendants when • Consistent with U.S. Constitution and • Consistent with laws of state
CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT DEFENDANT HAS SUFFICIENT CONTACTS WITH STATE TO SATISFY TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF FAIR PLAY AND SUBSTANTIAL JUSTICE
STATE LAWS • Long Arm Statutes • Terms vary: often included • accident occurring in state • injury occurring in state • contract entered into or performed in state
EXAMPLES • Auto Accidents--Review slide 17--What if accident happened in Arizona • Jane buys toy in N.Y. for grandson who lives in Calif. Toy explodes, injuring child; toy not sold in Calif.
EXAMPLE • Jack and Jill marry in New York; After 5 years they split. She comes to Calif., he goes to Florida
SBSTITUTES FOR PERSONAL JURISDICTION • IN REM JURISDICTION • QUASI IN REM JURISDICTION
PERSONAL JURISDICTION OF FEDERAL COURTS • SAME AS STATE COURT IN WHICH FED COURT IS LOCATED
LACK OF PERSONAL JURISDICTION • CAN BE WAIVED BY DEFENDANT • WAIVED BY GENERAL APPEARANCE • NOT WAIVED BY FAILURE TO APPEAR • ATTACKING PERSONAL JURISDICTION • MOTION TO QUASH OR DISMISS IN FED CT. • MOTION TO QUASH IN STATE COURT
VENUE • Selecting the proper geographical area from all courts having jurisdiction • can be waived
FEDERAL CT. VENUE • RESIDENCE OF DEF. • WHERE CAUSE OF ACTION ARISES • WHERE PLAINTIFF RESIDES IF DEF. IS U.S. GOV.
STATE COURT VENUE • COUNTY WHERE DEF. RESIDES • WHERE CAUSE OF ACTION ARISES • WHERE ACCIDENT OCCURS • WHERE CONTRACT ENTERED INTO OR TO BE PERFORMED • WHERE REAL PROP. LOCATED • OFTEN MORE THAN ONE CHOICE