Ford Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial District Court
United States Supreme Court
592 U.S. 351 (2021)
- Written by Liz Nakamura, JD
Facts
Ford Motor Company (Ford) (defendant), a global automaker, was incorporated in Delaware and had its principal place of business in Michigan. Ford sold, marketed, advertised, and serviced new and used Ford vehicles nationwide, including in Montana. Markkaya Gullett (plaintiff), a Montana resident, was killed in a car crash in Montana directly caused by a defect in her Ford Crown Victoria. Gullett’s estate brought a products-liability action against Ford in Montana. Ford moved to dismiss, arguing that Montana could not exercise personal jurisdiction over Ford because Gullett’s Ford was neither sold nor manufactured in Montana. The Montana Supreme Court, affirming the lower court’s decision in Gullett’s favor, held that Montana could exercise specific personal jurisdiction over Ford, even though Gullett’s Ford was manufactured and sold elsewhere, because Ford had purposefully availed itself of Montana’s car market, thereby opening itself up to liability in Montana. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Kagan, J.)
Concurrence (Alito, J.)
Concurrence (Gorsuch, J.)
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