$14.5 Million Judgments Lost for Lack of Jurisdiction

“Stateless” citizens can’t use federal courts for jurisdiction based on diversity of citizenship

A citizen domiciled in Haiti cannot sue a defendant domiciled in Maine and claim federal court jurisdiction based on diversity of citizenship because of an “arcane” exception to the general rule allowing a citizen of one state to sue a citizen of another state in federal court. But it was enough to cause a federal District Court in Maine to throw out two defamation verdicts totaling $14.5 million when the defendant raised the issue after losing a “long, arduous” trial. ( Hearts with Haiti v. Kendrick , D. ME, No. 2:13-cv-00039, 6/20/16. ) Michael Geilenfeld and Hearts with Haiti, the nonprofit corporation that he founded to operate an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, sued Paul Kendrick, a...

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$14.5 Million Judgments Lost for Lack of Jurisdiction

$14.5 Million Judgments Lost for Lack of Jurisdiction