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ASAHI METAL INDUSTRY CO. v. SUPERIOR COURT

Supreme Court of United States (1987) | 480 U.S. 102; 107 S.Ct. 1026; 94 L.Ed.2d 92

4 min read

TL;DR: A foreign component manufacturer sold parts to another foreign company. The Supreme Court found it unreasonable for a California court to exercise jurisdiction over the component maker, even if its parts ended up in the state through the stream of commerce.

Legal Significance: The case established a two-part test for personal jurisdiction over foreign defendants, requiring both minimum contacts and an assessment of reasonableness. It also created a split among the Justices on the "stream of commerce" theory, leaving the standard for purposeful availment unsettled.