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Merritt v. Texaco Inc.
(La. Ct. App.)
Corporate registration in state does not confer general jurisidiction
A judge in Louisiana ruled that Hunt Refining Co. could be sued there by an out-of-state plaintiff for alleged exposure to benzene in Mississippi, on the theory that the company can be sued for any claims arising elsewhere in the country because the company registered to do business in Louisiana. This theory that a company is subject to general jurisdiction was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court two years ago, and the MCLA filed an amicus brief in this case asking a Louisiana appeals court to reverse the lower court's decision. Companies do not give up fundamental due process rights by registering to do business in a state, and allowing general jurisdiction in this case could turn Louisiana into a magnet for forum shopping in mass tort or other cases.
The case was dismissed in July.
Related Documents:
NAM brief (July 15, 2016)
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