Helicopteros Nacionales De Colombia v. Hall
466 U.S. 408 (1984)
Author: Jim

Facts:

·Defendant corporation based in Bogota Colombia

·Plaintiffs worked for a company based in Texas

·Plaintiffs’ company contracted with Peru to build oil pipeline

·Plaintiffs’ company bought helicopters from Defendant

·Plaintiffs’ helicopter crashed in Peru

·Defendant sued in Texas Court

Procedure:

·Jury verdict against defendant in the amount of $l,140,000

·Supreme Ct. of Texas affirmed

Issue:

Can a company be brought under a state’s jurisdiction if it had only made purchase deals in that state and the issue has not arisen out of these purchases?

Holding:

No

Key Facts:

·Defendants had no place of business in Texas

·Defendants only made this purchase deal in Texas and sent few representatives to Texas for training purposes

Rationale:

·Rosenberg Bros & Co. v. Curtis Brown Co. used to show that defendants did not have “continuous and systematic” contacts with Texas

·“we hold that mere purchases, even if occurring at regular intervals, are not enough to warrant a State’s assertion of in personam jurisdiction over a nonresident corporation in a cause of action not related to those purchase transactions.”