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What is Required When Filing a Case in Federal Court?

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Filing a Case in Federal Court: Understanding Jurisdiction

To successfully file a lawsuit in federal court, you must meet specific jurisdictional requirements. These requirements determine whether a federal court has the authority to hear your case. Primarily, these requirements fall under two main categories: federal-question jurisdiction and diversity jurisdiction.

1. Federal-Question Jurisdiction (28 U.S.C.A. § 1331)

  • Federal courts have original jurisdiction over cases "arising under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States." This means if your lawsuit is based on a federal law, you can file it in federal court.
  • This principle was recently reinforced in Royal Canin U. S. A., Inc. v. Wullschleger, 604 U.S. 22 (2025).

2. Diversity Jurisdiction (28 U.S.C.A. § 1332)

  • Federal courts can hear cases where the amount in dispute exceeds $75,000 (excluding interest and costs) and the parties are:
    • Citizens of different states.
    • A citizen of a state and a foreign citizen.
  • Complete Diversity: No plaintiff can share the same state of citizenship as any defendant (Owen Equipment & Erection Co. v. Kroger, 437 U.S. 365 (1978)).
  • The 75,000 dollar amount in controversy requirement is in place to prevent federal courts from being overwhelmed with minor cases. This was discussed in Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Allapattah Services, Inc., 545 U.S. 546 (2005).

Additional Jurisdictional Concepts:

  • Supplemental Jurisdiction (28 U.S.C.A. § 1367):

    • Federal courts can hear related state law claims that are part of the same "case or controversy" as the federal claims.

  • Removal Jurisdiction (28 U.S.C.A. § 1441):

    • Defendants can move a case from state court to federal court if the federal court has original jurisdiction (either federal-question or diversity). This was again demonstrated in Royal Canin U. S. A., Inc. v. Wullschleger, 604 U.S. 22 (2025).

  • Personal Jurisdiction:

    • Beyond subject-matter jurisdiction, federal courts must also have authority over the parties involved. This is known as personal jurisdiction (Lightfoot v. Cendant Mortg. Corp., 580 U.S. 82 (2017)).

In summary, before filing a case in federal court, it is essential to determine whether the court has both subject-matter jurisdiction (based on the type of claim and the parties involved) and personal jurisdiction over the parties.