McGee v. International Life Insurance
- Decided
- December 16, 1957
- Docket
- 50
- Status
- Published
- Jurisdiction
- Federal
Cited 3,478 timesNo negative treatment found in this library
What later courts said
- holding that one insurance policy issued by Texas insurer to California resident subjected insurer to personal jurisdiction in California to answer claim based on that policy — CollegeSource, Inc. v. AcademyOne, Inc. (2011)
- recognizing that advances in communica tions and technology have expanded the “permissible scope of personal jurisdiction” — MARYCLE, LLC. v. First Choice Internet, Inc. (2006)
- holding that insurance contract delivered in California to a California resident, and premiums mailed from California created sufficient contacts to support finding of jurisdiction on contract — Waste Management, Inc. v. Admiral Ins. Co. (1994)
Each line is a later court’s own words about this case, not a summary. Read the opinion before relying on it.
How the opinion begins
[*221] Opinion of the Court by MR. Justice Black, announced by Mr. Justice Douglas.
Petitioner, Lulu B. McGee, recovered a judgment in a California state court against respondent, International Life Insurance Company, on a contract of insurance. Respondent was not served with process in California but by registered mail at its principal place of business in Texas. The California court based its jurisdiction on a state statute which subjects foreign corporations to suit in California on insurance contracts with residents of that State even though such corporations cannot be served with process within its borders. [1]
Unable to collect the judgment in California petitioner went to Texas where she filed suit on the judgment in a Texas court. But the Texas courts refused to enforce her judgment holding it was void under the Fourteenth Amendment because service of process outside California could not give the courts of that State jurisdiction over respondent. 288 S. W. 2d 579. Since the case raised important questions, not only to California but to other States which have similar laws, we granted certiorari. 352 U. S. 924. It is not controverted that if the California court properly exercised jurisdiction over respondent the Texas courts erred .in refusing to give its judgment full faith and credit. 28 U. S. C. § 1738.
Statutes cited
Cite this
McGee v. International Life Insurance, 355 U.S. 220 (1957)Read the full opinion
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