PJ study questions: World-Wide Volkswagen v. Woodson

Be prepared to answer the questions posed below.

1. In World-Wide Volkswagen (“WWVW”), who are the defendants?
2. Which Minimum Contacts Table box does each defendant fall into?
3. Some of the defendants are objecting to PJ before the Supreme Court and some are not. Why are two defendants not objecting? Which box in the table do they fall into?
4. What does the WWVW majority mean by “reasonableness” in Part II? Give the factors.
5. Do you think it would it be “reasonable” to exercise PJ over the objecting defendants? Why or why not?
6. Is reasonableness by itself enough for a court to have PJ?
7. What does the WWVW majority mean by “foreseeability” in Part III? What is “purposeful availment?”
8. Did the objecting defendants purposefully avail themselves to the forum state? Why or why not?
9. Is purposeful availment by itself enough for a court to have PJ?
10. What is “stream of commerce”? See the reference to Gray v. American Radiator on page 188. Is WWVW a stream of commerce case? Or is WWVW something different?
11. Pay close attention to Justice Brennan’s dissent in WWVW. Note that Brennan dissents in WWVW but is the author of Burger King, the next case in our PJ studies. Does Brennan use some of his WWVW dissent ideas in Burger King?

Revised Aug. 25, 2016