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In a recent blog, I wrote of the inability to use the federal courts to gain jurisdiction over a defendant who does not have sufficient minimum contacts with the forum state. That blog was in response to the misperception of many that all a litigant needs to do is to sue in federal court to gain jurisdiction over any defendant. Not true. Because the federal court applies the same analysis on jurisdiction that the state in which it sits would apply, there is no advantage in that instance to bringing an action in a federal court. Consequently, if you didn’t have jurisdiction over a particular defendant in state court in Massachusetts, you would not have jurisdiction over that same defendant in federal court in Massachusetts.
In a similar vein, if you are able to bring an action in federal court for personal injury – because of diversity of citizenship between the parties – and you have jurisdiction over the defendant, would the federal court apply the same principles of tort law that the state in which it sits applies? The answer is yes. The United States District Court in Massachusetts for example will look to the tort cases of the Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeals Court to determine the relevant law. There is no benefit to forum shopping as there is no federal common law. In the seminal case of Erie v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64 (1938), the Supreme Court ruled that in cases of diversity jurisdiction, the courts had to use the same laws as the states in which they were situated. This has allowed for a uniform application of laws.
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Client Reviews
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5.0/5.0I’m a college student in the Boston area who suffered a pedestrian personal injury in December of 2022. Thankfully I was put into contact with Feinberg & Alban PC and I worked closely with Robert and Perry Feinberg who treated me with respect and f...
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5.0/5.0
Alexis Cahill was great, professional, and was open for me to contact on any questions I may have had during the process. Feinberg & Alban PC's services were nice as well, and I'd recommend them due to the transparency, what they were able to negotia...
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5.0/5.0
My mom had a great experience with Feinberg as her attorney, after she fell near her house, and he took her under his wing. Mr. Feinberg was helpful, very organized and kind. He helped my mom a lot, very happy with results
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5.0/5.0
I have been using Marsha Alban's services and advice for many years. Initially, I interviewed several lawyers, and Marsha was definitely the best! She took time to listen, she was very compassionate, and she explained everything in detail and answere...
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5.0/5.0
Wish I could give higher than a 5 for this review. From the start the dedication to detail, care and skill that was applied to my case was outstanding. Robert Feinberg is exceptional at representing his clients. His depth & breadth of experience make...
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