Jurisdiction -- 2003



Anschutz v. Superior Court   (California Supreme Court)

Long-arm jurisdiction

The NAM and the Washington Legal Foundation filed an amicus letter in the Supreme Court of California urging that court to review a decision involving California's long-arm jurisdiction over an out-of-state defendant. We argued that California must not claim personal jurisdiction over an individual (or a parent corporation) simply because that person owns a company that does business in California. While such a company might be subject to litigation in California, their owners, including individuals and corporations, should not be likewise subject to suit unless they engage in activities that satisfy minimum constitutional due process requirements that would put them on notice. The issue is important, especially in light of California's increasing reputation for anti-business litigation, because corporations and individuals will be less likely to invest in companies that do business in California if their personal or corporate assets will be put in jeopardy.

The court declined to review this appeal.