Title: Dabbieri v. City Boy's Tire & Brake, Inc.

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

R e l : 
12/30/2011 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r 
o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern 
Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
OCTOBER TERM, 2011-2012 
1100205 
Ex p a r t e C i t y Boy's T i r e and Brake, 
Inc. 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS 
(In r e : C l a u d i a D a b b i e r i 
v. 
C i t y Boy's T i r e and Brake, Inc., e t 
a l . ) 
(Perry C i r c u i t Court, CV-10-900018) 
PARKER, 
J u s t i c e . 
C l a u d i a 
D a b b i e r i 
f i l e d a c o m p l a i n t i n 
t h e 
P e r r y 
C i r c u i t 
C o u r t n a m i n g as d e f e n d a n t s 
D o n a l d Wease, A l a b a m a C a b l e a n d 
1100205 
F i b e r R e p a i r 
("Alabama C a b l e " ) ,
1 PDQ CATV, I n c . ("PDQ"), 
C i t y 
B o y ' s 
T i r e 
and B r a k e , 
I n c . ( " C B T " ) , 
C o n t i n e n t a l 
T i r e t h e 
A m e r i c a s , L L C , and 
s e v e r a l 
f i c t i t i o u s l y 
named 
d e f e n d a n t s , 
a s s e r t i n g 
c l a i m s 
a r i s i n g o u t o f a m o t o r - v e h i c l e 
a c c i d e n t i n 
P e r r y 
C o u n t y . 
CBT moved t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t , 
p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 
1 2 ( b ) ( 2 ) , 
A l a . R. 
C i v . P., 
t o 
d i s m i s s 
D a b b i e r i ' s 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t i t 
f o r l a c k o f p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n ; t h a t m o t i o n was 
d e n i e d , and CBT p e t i t i o n e d t h i s C o u r t f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus, 
d i r e c t i n g t h e t r i a l c o u r t t o g r a n t CBT's m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s . We 
g r a n t t h e p e t i t i o n and i s s u e t h e w r i t . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l 
H i s t o r y 
On M a r c h 19, 2008, D a b b i e r i , who r e s i d e s i n P e r r y C o u n t y , 
went t o t h e shop o p e r a t e d by CBT, w h i c h i s l o c a t e d i n H i g h 
S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a . 
D a b b i e r i was d r i v i n g a 2001 C h e v y v a n t h a t 
she 
a p p a r e n t l y 
co-owned w i t h h e r e m p l o y e r , Wease.
2 
D a b b i e r i 
s t a t e s i n h e r c o m p l a i n t 
t h a t , 
a f t e r p u r c h a s i n g 
t h e v a n i n 
1The 
n a t u r e 
o f t h e e n t i t y A l a b a m a C a b l e i s u n c l e a r 
f r o m 
t h e 
m a t e r i a l s b e f o r e 
t h e C o u r t . 
I t i s r e f e r r e d t o i n t h o s e 
m a t e r i a l s as b o t h an i n d e p e n d e n t company and " D o n a l d Wease 
d/b/a 
A l a b a m a C a b l e and F i b e r 
R e p a i r . " 
2 D a b b i e r i and Wease a r e b o t h named on t h e b i l l o f s a l e f o r 
t h e 
p u r c h a s e o f t h e v a n , i n d i c a t i n g t h a t 
t h e y b o t h h a d an 
o w n e r s h i p i n t e r e s t i n t h e v e h i c l e , b u t n e i t h e r t h e t i t l e n o r 
t h e 
r e g i s t r a t i o n f o r t h e v a n a r e i n c l u d e d i n t h e m a t e r i a l s 
b e f o r e u s . 
2 
1100205 
November 2007, Wease and A l a b a m a C a b l e 
(a b u s i n e s s 
owned 
by 
Wease and 
D a b b i e r i ' s e m p l o y e r ) had 
a l l f o u r 
t i r e s 
on t h e 
v a n 
r e p l a c e d . 
When D a b b i e r i b r o u g h t 
t h e 
v a n 
i n t o CBT's shop on 
M a r c h 
19, 2008, CBT's e m p l o y e e s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t one 
o f t h e t i r e s 
was 
l e a k i n g a i r . 
D a b b i e r i p u r c h a s e d a new 
t i r e f r o m CBT 
and 
had 
e m p l o y e e s o f CBT 
i n s t a l l 
t h a t 
t i r e 
on 
t h e v a n ; 
t h e 
new 
t i r e 
was 
i d e n t i c a l 
t o 
t h e 
t i r e 
i t r e p l a c e d . 
The 
t o t a l 
c o s t , 
i n c l u d i n g 
m o u n t i n g 
and 
b a l a n c i n g 
t h e 
new 
t i r e 
as 
w e l l 
as 
d i s p o s i n g o f t h e o l d t i r e , was $ 1 5 1 . 8 3 , w h i c h D a b b i e r i p a i d i n 
c a s h . 
On t h e r e c e i p t / s t a t e m e n t 
o f w o r k , b e l o w t h e i t e m i z a t i o n 
o f w o r k done by CBT 
on t h e v a n , 
was 
t h e 
f o l l o w i n g l a n g u a g e : 
" D e c l i n e d 
a l i g n m e n t 
L i f e t i m e b a l a n c e , 
r o t a t i o n , & 
f l a t 
r e p a i r s 
w i t h new 
t i r e 
p u r c h a s e . 
T i r e b a l . & r o t a t e r e c e v e r y 6,000 
m i l e s 
r o a d h a z a r d 
c o v e r s 
a l l non 
r e p a i r a b l e 
t i r e 
p u n c t u r e s . 
T i r e s w i l l be p r o r a t e d by 
t r e a d 
d e p t h down t o 2/32nd mark. 
C u s t o m e r i s r e s p o n s i b l e 
i n s t i l l a t i o n 
[ s i c ] . " 
N e i t h e r 
D a b b i e r i n o r 
any e m p l o y e e o f CBT 
s i g n e d 
t h e r e c e i p t / 
s t a t e m e n t o f w o r k . 
On 
A p r i l 
15, 2008, D a b b i e r i was 
d r i v i n g t h e v a n 
i n P e r r y 
C o u n t y when one 
o f t h e t h r e e o r i g i n a l r e p l a c e m e n t t i r e s on 
t h e 
v a n , 
i . e . , n o t 
t h e 
t i r e 
i n s t a l l e d 
by 
CBT 
on M a r c h 19, 
2008, 
3 
1100205 
f a i l e d , 
c a u s i n g t h e v a n t o l e a v e t h e r o a d and r o l l ; 
D a b b i e r i 
s u s t a i n e d s e v e r e i n j u r i e s . 
L a t e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n d i c a t e d t h a t 
t h e 
t i r e 
f a i l u r e was p r o b a b l y c a u s e d by t r e a d 
s e p a r a t i o n and 
t h a t t h e t r e a d s e p a r a t i o n m i g h t h a v e b e e n c a u s e d , a t l e a s t i n 
p a r t , b y t h e i m p r o p e r 
s i z i n g o f t h e t i r e s on t h e 
v a n . 
On A p r i l 14, 2 0 1 0 , D a b b i e r i 
f i l e d h e r c o m p l a i n t . 
D a b b i e r i 
c l a i m e d 
t h a t , as p a r t o f t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n o f t h e new t i r e , CBT 
had a d u t y t o i n s p e c t t h e v a n and t o warn h e r o f any d a n g e r s 
t h e 
i n s p e c t i o n m i g h t 
r e v e a l , 
i n c l u d i n g , she s a i d , t h e f a c t 
t h a t t h e t i r e s 
t h a t 
were on t h e v a n were t h e w r o n g 
s i z e . 
D a b b i e r i c l a i m e d 
t h a t CBT b r e a c h e d t h a t d u t y t o i n s p e c t ; t h a t , 
as a r e s u l t o f CBT's b r e a c h o f t h a t d u t y , she d i d 
n o t know t h e 
t i r e s on t h e v a n were t h e w r o n g 
s i z e ; a n d t h a t , b e c a u s e she 
l a c k e d t h a t k n o w l e d g e , she c o n t i n u e d 
d r i v i n g t h e v a n w i t h t h e 
w r o n g s i z e 
t i r e s , 
w h i c h , she c l a i m s , 
c a u s e d t h e a c c i d e n t i n 
w h i c h she was i n j u r e d . 
F o r 
a l l 
t h a t 
a p p e a r s , 
n e i t h e r Wease n o r A l a b a m a 
C a b l e 
r e s p o n d e d 
t o 
t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
o r 
a p p e a r e d 
i n t h e 
c a s e . 
C o n t i n e n t a l T i r e t h e A m e r i c a s , L L C ( a l l e g e d l y t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r 
o f t h e f a i l e d 
t i r e ) , 
a l s o a p p a r e n t l y 
f a i l e d t o r e s p o n d t o t h e 
c o m p l a i n t . 
4 
1100205 
CBT 
f i l e d a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s , 
a r g u i n g 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t l a c k e d p e r s o n a l j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r 
i t .
3 CBT a t t a c h e d t o 
i t s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s an a f f i d a v i t 
f r o m J u s t i n 
E l l i s o n , t h e 
s o l e s h a r e h o l d e r o f CBT, i n w h i c h he 
t e s t i f i e d : 
" 1 . 
My name i s J u s t i n 
E l l i s o n . 
I am t h e s o l e 
s h a r e h o l d e r 
o f C i t y 
B o y ' s 
T i r e a n d B r a k e , I n c . 
( h e r e i n a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o as ' [ C B T ] ' ) , who i s 
one o f 
t h e named d e f e n d a n t s i n t h e above s t y l e d 
c a u s e . 
"2. 
[ C B T ] i s a 
F l o r i d a 
c o r p o r a t i o n a n d , as 
s t a t e d , I am t h e s o l e s h a r e h o l d e r a n d owner o f t h a t 
c o r p o r a t i o n . [ C B T ] 
i s 
i n t h e b u s i n e s s o f 
a u t o m o b i l e 
and 
t r u c k m a i n t e n a n c e . 
"3. 
I am a r e s i d e n t o f t h e S t a t e o f F l o r i d a a n d 
h a v e b e e n a c o n t i n u o u s 
r e s i d e n t o f F l o r i d a f o r o v e r 
30 y e a r s . 
I h a v e n e v e r owned p r o p e r t y i n A l a b a m a 
and h a v e n e v e r c o n d u c t e d b u s i n e s s 
t h e r e . 
"4. 
[CBT] i s l o c a t e d i n H i g h S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a . 
I t b e g a n b u s i n e s s i n 
1 9 9 1 , 
a n d h a s c o n t i n u o u s l y b e e n 
i n b u s i n e s s 
s i n c e t h a t 
d a t e . 
"5. 
[CBT] h a s n e v e r h a d any p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s 
o t h e r t h a n H i g h S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a . 
"6. 
The v a s t m a j o r i t y o f t h e b u s i n e s s done b y 
[CBT] i s s e r v i c i n g 
v e h i c l e s o f l o c a l 
r e s i d e n t s i n 
3PDQ, w h i c h s o l d t h e 
v a n t o 
Wease a n d D a b b i e r i , a l s o 
f i l e d 
a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s f o r l a c k o f p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n ; 
t h a t 
m o t i o n was a l s o d e n i e d , a n d , l i k e CBT, PDQ 
f i l e d a 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r a w r i t o f mandamus w i t h 
t h i s C o u r t . 
The p e t i t i o n s 
f i l e d 
by PDQ a n d CBT were c o n s o l i d a t e d f o r p u r p o s e s o f b r i e f i n g a n d 
s u b m i s s i o n , a n d a s i g n i f i c a n t p o r t i o n o f D a b b i e r i ' s b r i e f i s 
i n 
r e s p o n s e t o PDQ's p e t i t i o n . 
However, PDQ's p e t i t i o n was 
w i t h d r a w n a n d i s 
no l o n g e r b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t . 
5 
1100205 
A l a c h u a 
C o u n t y , 
F l o r i d a 
and some o f i t s a d j o i n i n g 
c o u n t i e s . 
"7. 
A t t i m e s , 
[CBT] 
w i l l s e r v i c e v e h i c l e s w h i c h 
a r e 
t r a v e l i n g t h r o u g h F l o r i d a and may 
be i n n e e d 
o f 
s e r v i c e . 
However, 
any 
s u c h 
s e r v i c e w o u l d 
be 
an 
i s o l a t e d i n c i d e n t . 
"8. 
[CBT] 
o n l y 
a d v e r t i s e s i n A l a c h u a 
C o u n t y , 
F l o r i d a 
and 
s u r r o u n d i n g 
F l o r i d a 
c o u n t i e s . 
I t d o e s 
so by a d v e r t i s i n g i n l o c a l n e w s p a p e r s 
and may 
s e n d 
p o s t c a r d s 
l o c a l l y 
i n A l a c h u a 
C o u n t y , 
F l o r i d a 
and 
s u r r o u n d i n g 
c o u n t i e s . 
"9. 
[CBT] has n e v e r done b u s i n e s s 
i n t h e S t a t e 
o f A l a b a m a . 
"10. 
[CBT] has n e v e r a d v e r t i s e d i n t h e S t a t e o f 
A l a b a m a o r s o l i c i t e d b u s i n e s s 
i n A l a b a m a . 
" 1 1 . 
[CBT] 
i s n o t l i c e n s e d t o do b u s i n e s s 
i n 
A l a b a m a 
and 
has 
n e v e r 
p a i d 
t a x e s 
i n t h e 
S t a t e 
o f 
A l a b a m a . 
"12. 
[CBT] has n e v e r h a d an o f f i c e o r 
b u s i n e s s 
l o c a t i o n 
i n t h e 
S t a t e 
o f A l a b a m a , 
and 
has 
n e v e r 
e m p l o y e d 
anyone who 
was 
a r e s i d e n t o f t h e S t a t e 
o f 
A l a b a m a . 
"13. 
[CBT] has n e v e r done any b u s i n e s s by a g e n t 
i n t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a . 
"14. 
[CBT] has n e v e r owned any r e a l o r p e r s o n a l 
p r o p e r t y 
l o c a t e d i n t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a . 
"15. 
[CBT] has n e v e r p u r p o s e l y 
a v a i l e d 
i t s e l f 
o f 
t h e 
p r i v i l e g e 
o f 
c o n d u c t i n g 
a c t i v i t i e s 
i n 
A l a b a m a . 
"16. 
The 
s e l l i n g 
o f a 
t i r e 
by 
[CBT] 
a t 
t h e 
p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s i n M a r c h o f 2008 t o t h e 
P l a i n t i f f , 
C l a u d i a D a b b i e r i , was 
a s i n g l e 
i s o l a t e d i n c i d e n t . 
6 
1100205 
"17. 
To 
t h e b e s t o f my 
k n o w l e d g e 
[CBT] 
has 
n e v e r done any b u s i n e s s w i t h 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f , 
o t h e r 
t h a n on t h e one 
i n c i d e n t when she p u r c h a s e d a 
t i r e 
f r o m 
[ C B T ] . 
"18. 
[CBT] 
d o e s 
n o t 
s o l i c i t 
b u s i n e s s 
o r 
o t h e r w i s e engage i n any o t h e r p e r s i s t e n t c o u r s e o f 
c o n d u c t 
o r 
b u s i n e s s 
i n 
t h e 
S t a t e 
o f 
A l a b a m a . 
A c c o r d i n g l y , 
[CBT] 
does 
n o t 
d e r i v e 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
r e v e n u e f r o m goods and s e r v i c e s u s e d o r consumed i n 
t h e 
S t a t e o f A l a b a m a n o r f r o m s e r v i c e s r e n d e r e d i n 
t h e 
S t a t e o f A l a b a m a . 
"19. 
A l l c o n t a c t t h e p l a i n t i f f 
h a d w i t h 
[CBT] 
was 
i n i t i a t e d 
by 
h e r . 
[CBT] 
n e v e r 
s o l i c i t e d 
h e r 
b u s i n e s s . 
"20. 
A l t h o u g h 
[CBT] 
i s a c o r p o r a t i o n , 
i t i s 
e s s e n t i a l l y a s o l e p r o p r i e t o r s h i p as t h e u n d e r s i g n e d 
a f f i a n t i s t h e o n l y manager o f t h e company. 
" 2 1 . 
[CBT] has o n l y one 
s t o r e 
l o c a t e d i n H i g h 
S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a , 
w h i c h i s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 400 m i l e s 
f r o m P e r r y C o u n t y , 
A l a b a m a . 
"22. 
To h a v e t o d e f e n d 
i t s e l f i n P e r r y 
C o u n t y , 
A l a b a m a , 
w o u l d 
be 
a 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
h a r d s h i p 
upon 
[ C B T ] . " 
D a b b i e r i r e s p o n d e d t o t h e m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s ; a t t a c h e d t o 
h e r r e s p o n s e were a s i n g l e page f r o m an a p p a r e n t l y t h r e e - p a g e 
p r i n t o u t , 
d a t e d 
J u n e 
25, 
2010, 
f r o m 
a Web 
s i t e 
a l l e g e d l y 
o p e r a t e d by CBT and t h e r e c e i p t / s t a t e m e n t 
o f w o r k 
d a t e d M a r c h 
19, 2008, f o r t h e t i r e r e p l a c e m e n t p e r f o r m e d by CBT. 
S h o r t l y 
t h e r e a f t e r , 
D a b b i e r i 
s u p p l e m e n t e d 
h e r r e s p o n s e , a t t a c h i n g 
a 
d e b i t - c a r d 
r e c e i p t 
and 
a s t a t e m e n t o f w o r k f r o m 
C i t y 
B o y ' s 
7 
1100205 
T i r e & B r a k e o f A l a c h u a , I n c . , l o c a t e d i n A l a c h u a , 
F l o r i d a , 
b o t h d a t e d J u n e 14, 2008, w h i c h 
i n d i c a t e d t h a t work h a d b e e n 
done f o r "Alabama C a b l e " ; a r e c e i p t / s t a t e m e n t o f w o r k f r o m CBT 
d a t e d 
O c t o b e r 
11, 
2008, 
e v i d e n c i n g 
work 
done 
f o r 
an 
u n i d e n t i f i e d 
" c a s h c u s t o m e r " ; and an 
a f f i d a v i t f r o m 
" D o n a l d 
Wease 
d/b/a 
A l a b a m a 
C a b l e 
and 
F i b e r 
R e p a i r . " 
Wease's 
a f f i d a v i t r e a d , i n r e l e v a n t 
p a r t : 
" 1 . 
My name i s D o n a l d Wease. 
I am a c i t i z e n o f 
t h e s t a t e o f A l a b a m a . 
I am o v e r t h e age o f 19 and 
am p e r s o n a l l y f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e f a c t s s t a t e d 
h e r e i n . 
"2. 
I am t h e P r e s i d e n t o f A l a b a m a 
C a b l e 
and 
F i b e r R e p a i r . 
A l a b a m a C a b l e and F i b e r R e p a i r i s an 
A l a b a m a company w i t h i t s 
p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s 
l o c a t e d 
i n P e r r y C o u n t y , 
A l a b a m a . 
f i 
"9. 
O v e r t h e c o u r s e o f t h e l a s t 15 y e a r s I h a v e 
a l s o 
h a d 
o v e r 
t w e n t y 
b u s i n e s s 
d e a l i n g s w i t h 
C i t y 
B o y s [ s i c ] T i r e and B r a k e , I n c . , i n b u y i n g t i r e s and 
s e r v i c i n g 
v e h i c l e s . 
The 
s e r v i c e 
c o n d u c t e d was f o r 
v e h i c l e s u s e d i n t h e s t a t e o f A l a b a m a . 
"10. 
D u r i n g 
t h a t 
t i m e 
I h a v e h a d 
t e l e p h o n e 
c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s 
o f C i t y B o y s 
T i r e 
and B r a k e , 
I n c . , r e g a r d i n g work on t h o s e 
v e h i c l e s . 
I was i n A l a b a m a when t h o s e t e l e p h o n e c o n v e r s a t i o n s 
were 
c o n d u c t e d . 
" 1 1 . 
C i t y 
B o y s 
T i r e 
and 
B r a k e , 
I n c . , has 
p r o v i d e d 
w a r r a n t i e s 
f o r t h e 
goods 
and 
s e r v i c e s 
p r o v i d e d t h a t c r e a t e an o b l i g a t i o n by them t o me and 
my b u s i n e s s i n A l a b a m a . 
8 
1100205 
"12. 
On J u n e 14, 2008, 
C i t y 
Boys 
T i r e a n d 
B r a k e , 
I n c . , 
c o n d u c t e d 
a t r a n s a c t i o n 
w i t h me. 
A 
t r u e a n d a c c u r a t e c o p y o f t h e r e c e i p t f o r 
t h a t 
s a l e 
i s a t t a c h e d h e r e t o as E x h i b i t 3. 
"13. 
On O c t o b e r 11, 2008, 
C i t y Boys T i r e a n d 
B r a k e , I n c . , c o n d u c t e d a n o t h e r t r a n s a c t i o n w i t h me. 
A t r u e a n d a c c u r a t e c o p y o f t h e r e c e i p t f o r t h a t 
s a l e i s a t t a c h e d h e r e t o as E x h i b i t 4." 
CBT, i n t u r n , 
s u b m i t t e d a s u p p l e m e n t a r y 
a f f i d a v i t 
f r o m 
J u s t i n 
E l l i s o n , i n w h i c h he 
t e s t i f i e d : 
" 1 . My name i s J u s t i n 
E l l i s o n . 
I 
p r e v i o u s l y 
s u b m i t t e d an A f f i d a v i t i n t h i s 
c a s e 
d a t e d May 12, 
2010, 
w h i c h 
was 
a t t a c h e d as 
E x h i b i t 
' A ' t o t h e 
M o t i o n t o D i s m i s s o r i n t h e A l t e r n a t i v e 
M o t i o n t o 
Quash S e r v i c e h e r e t o f o r e f i l e d b y C i t y B o y ' s 
T i r e 
and 
B r a k e , 
I n c . ( h e r e i n a f t e r 
' [ C B T ] ' ) . 
The 
u n d e r s i g n e d A f f i a n t r e - c e r t i f i e s t h e s t a t e m e n t s made 
i n t h e a f o r e s a i d A f f i d a v i t o f May 12, 
2 0 1 0 . 
"2. 
The 
u n d e r s i g n e d 
i s 
i n f o r m e d 
t h a t 
an 
a f f i d a v i t was made by D o n a l d Wease m a k i n g 
c e r t a i n 
a l l e g a t i o n s w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o Mr. Wease's c o n t a c t s 
w i t h 
[ C B T ] . 
A f f i a n t 
i s f u r t h e r 
i n f o r m e d 
t h a t 
a t t a c h e d 
t o t h e a f f i d a v i t 
a r e two 
i n v o i c e s , 
one 
a d d r e s s e d t o A l a b a m a C a b l e , 307 West G r e e n 
S t r e e t , 
M a r i o n , A l a b a m a d a t e d J u n e 14, 2008. 
T h i s 
i n v o i c e 
i s 
f r o m 
C i t y B o y ' s T i r e a n d B r a k e o f A l a c h u a , I n c . 
( h e r e i n a f t e r 
r e f e r r e d 
t o 
as 
' C i t y 
B o y ' s 
o f 
A l a c h u a ' ) . 
T h a t company i s 
a s e p a r a t e company 
f r o m 
[ C B T ] . 
N e i t h e r t h e u n d e r s i g n e d A f f i a n t [ ] n o r 
[ C B T ] 
own any s t o c k i n o r h a v e any c o n n e c t i o n w i t h 
C i t y 
B o y ' s 
o f A l a c h u a . 
A t one 
t i m e 
( p r i o r 
t o t h e 
a c c i d e n t 
made 
t h e b a s i s 
o f t h e c o m p l a i n t ) t h e 
u n d e r s i g n e d 
A f f i a n t d i d 
own C i t y B o y ' s o f A l a c h u a ; 
h o w e v e r , t h a t b u s i n e s s was s o l d t o s e p a r a t e 
p a r t i e s 
i n 2007 a n d n e i t h e r t h e A f f i a n t n o r [ C B T ] 
h a s h a d 
any o w n e r s h i p 
i n t e r e s t i n t h a t company s i n c e i t 
was 
s o l d . 
9 
1100205 
"3. [ C B T ] o n l y d o e s b u s i n e s s 
o u t o f i t s s o l e 
p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s i n H i g h S p r i n g s , F l o r i d a . 
I t d o e s 
n o t s e r v i c e v e h i c l e s a n y w h e r e e x c e p t a t i t s p l a c e o f 
b u s i n e s s 
i n H i g h 
S p r i n g s . 
"4. 
The I n v o i c e No. 162399 a t t a c h e d as E x h i b i t 
4 t o t h e a f f i d a v i t o f D o n a l d Wease i n v o l v e d o n l y a 
d i s m o u n t i n g 
and m o u n t i n g o f a 
t i r e 
and 
r e p l a c i n g 
v a l v e 
s t e m s . 
The w o r k done on t h a t d a t e f o r t h a t 
i n v o i c e was done s o l e l y a t t h e H i g h S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a 
p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s 
o f [ C B T ] . 
Whoever 
r e q u e s t e d 
t h e 
w o r k 
as 
d e s c r i b e d 
on 
s a i d 
i n v o i c e 
w o u l d 
h a v e 
i n i t i a t e d 
t h e c o n t a c t 
w i t h [ C B T ] a t i t s p l a c e 
o f 
b u s i n e s s 
i n H i g h S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a . 
"5. 
A l t h o u g h 
[ C B T ] has 
no 
r e c o r d 
o f 
d o i n g 
b u s i n e s s 
w i t h D o n a l d Wease o r A l a b a m a C a b l e i n 
i t s 
r e c o r d s , i t 
d o e s n o t deny t h a t i t 
may h a v e done 
t i r e 
w o r k as shown on E x h i b i t 4 a t t a c h e d t o t h e 
a f f i d a v i t 
o f Mr. Wease. 
H o w e v e r , as above s t a t e d , s u c h w o r k 
w o u l d h a v e b e e n done 
a t i t s p l a c e 
o f b u s i n e s s 
i n 
H i g h S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a . 
"6. 
N e i t h e r t h e u n d e r s i g n e d 
A f f i a n t , n o r anyone 
a t 
[ C B T ] has 
any 
r e c o l l e c t i o n 
o f 
any 
t e l e p h o n e 
c o n v e r s a t i o n s 
t h e y may have h a d w i t h D o n a l d Wease. 
N e i t h e r 
t h e u n d e r s i g n e d 
A f f i a n t 
n o r any 
a g e n t 
o r 
e m p l o y e e 
o f [ C B T ] has 
e v e r 
c o n d u c t e d 
b u s i n e s s 
i n 
A l a b a m a . 
"7. 
The 
t r a n s a c t i o n b e t w e e n 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f , 
C l a u d i a 
D a b b i e r i , and [ C B T ] made t h e b a s i s o f t h e 
c o m p l a i n t 
i n v o l v e d t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f one 
t i r e a t a 
c o s t s [ s i c ] o f $ 1 5 1 . 8 3 , w h i c h was p a i d i n c a s h . 
The 
o n l y 
g u a r a n t e e s 
o r w a r r a n t i e s 
[ C B T ] g a v e when i t 
r e p l a c e d t h e t i r e f o r t h e p l a i n t i f f i s t h a t i t w o u l d 
r o t a t e 
and b a l a n c e 
t h e 
t i r e s 
a t i t s s h o p i n H i g h 
S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a 
e v e r y 
6,000 
m i l e s , 
and 
t h a t i t 
w o u l d r e p l a c e a n o n - r e p a r a b l e 
t i r e p u n c t u r e w i t h a 
new 
t i r e on a p r o r a t e d b a s i s , b a s e d upon t r e a d w e a r . 
Any 
s u c h 
r o t a t i n g o r r e p l a c e m e n t w o u l d be done a t 
i t s s h o p i n H i g h 
S p r i n g s . 
10 
1100205 
"8. 
C l a u d i a D a b b i e r i n e v e r a v a i l e d h e r s e l f o f 
t h e g u a r a n t e e s o r w a r r a n t i e s made b y [ C B T ] 
l i s t e d i n 
p a r a g r a p h 7 above w i t h 
r e f e r e n c e t o b a l a n c i n g t h e 
t i r e 
she was 
s o l d 
o r 
r e p l a c i n g 
i t due 
t o a 
n o n - r e p a i r a b l e 
t i r e 
p u n c t u r e . 
"9. 
[ C B T ] d o e s n o t s o l i c i t b u s i n e s s i n A l a b a m a 
e i t h e r t h r o u g h 
s a l e s p e r s o n s o r t h r o u g h a d v e r t i s i n g 
r e a s o n a b l y 
c a l c u l a t e d t o r e a c h A l a b a m a . 
"10. 
The w e b s i t e o f [ C B T ] 
o n l y p o s t s o r s e n d s 
i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e s e r v i c e s , p r o d u c t s a n d o t h e r 
i n f o r m a t i o n o f [ C B T ] . " 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t d e n i e d CBT's m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s . 
CBT t h e n 
p e t i t i o n e d 
t h i s C o u r t f o r 
a w r i t o f mandamus. 
S t a n d a r d o f R e v i e w 
"'"'The w r i t o f mandamus i s 
a d r a s t i c 
and e x t r a o r d i n a r y w r i t , t o be " i s s u e d o n l y 
when t h e r e 
i s : 1 ) a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t i n 
t h e 
p e t i t i o n e r t o t h e o r d e r 
s o u g h t ; 2 ) an 
i m p e r a t i v e 
d u t y 
upon 
t h e r e s p o n d e n t t o 
p e r f o r m , 
a c c o m p a n i e d b y a r e f u s a l t o do 
s o ; 
3 ) t h e l a c k o f a n o t h e r a d e q u a t e r e m e d y ; 
a n d 
4 ) 
p r o p e r l y 
i n v o k e d 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o f t h e 
c o u r t . " 
Ex p a r t e 
U n i t e d 
S e r v . 
S t a t i o n s ,  
I n c . , 
628 So. 2d 5 0 1 , 503 ( A l a . 1 9 9 3 ) ; s e e 
a l s o Ex p a r t e 
Z i g l a r , 669 So. 2d 133, 134 
( A l a . 
1 
9 9 5 ) . ' 
Ex p a r t e C a r t e r , [8 
07 So. 2d 
534,] 
536 [ ( A l a . 
2 0 0 1 ) ] . " 
"'Ex 
p a r t e 
M c W i l l i a m s , 
812 So. 2d 318, 321 
( A l a . 
2 0 0 1 ) . 
"An a p p e l l a t e 
c o u r t 
c o n s i d e r s 
de novo a 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
j u d g m e n t 
on a 
p a r t y ' s 
m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s f o r 
l a c k o f p e r s o n a l j u r i s d i c t i o n . " 
E l l i o t t 
 
v. Van K l e e f , 830 So. 2d 726, 729 ( A l a . 2 0 0 2 ) . 
" ' " ' " I n 
c o n s i d e r i n g a 
R u l e 
1 2 ( b ) ( 2 ) , A l a . R. C i v . P., m o t i o n 
11 
1100205 
t o 
d i s m i s s f o r 
want o f p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
a 
c o u r t 
must 
c o n s i d e r as t r u e t h e a l l e g a t i o n s 
o f t h e p l a i n t i f f ' s c o m p l a i n t n o t 
c o n t r o v e r t e d b y t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s 
a f f i d a v i t s , R o b i n s o n v . G i a r m a r c o  
& 
B i l l , 
P.C., 74 F.3d 253 ( 1 1 t h 
C i r . 
1 9 9 6 ) , 
a n d 
Cable/Home 
 
C o m m u n i c a t i o n 
C o r p . 
v . N e t w o r k  
P r o d u c t i o n s , 
I n c . , 902 F.2d 829 
( 1 1 t h C i r . 1 9 9 0 ) , a n d 'where t h e 
p l a i n t i f f ' s 
c o m p l a i n t 
a n d t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
a f f i d a v i t s 
c o n f l i c t , 
t h e 
... c o u r t must 
c o n s t r u e a l l 
r e a s o n a b l e 
i n f e r e n c e s i n 
f a v o r o f 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f . ' 
R o b i n s o n , 
74 
F.3d 
a t 255 
( q u o t i n g 
M a d a r a v .  
H a l l , 
916 F.2d 1510, 1514 ( 1 1 t h 
C i r . 
1 9 9 0 ) ) . " ' 
"'"Wenger 
T r e e 
S e r v . 
v . 
R o y a l 
T r u c k 
& 
 
E q u i p . , 
I n c . , 853 So. 2d 888, 894 
( A l a . 
2002) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e M c I n n i s , 820 So. 
2d 
7 
95, 
7 
98 
( A l a . 2 0 0 1 ) ) . 
However, i f t h e 
d e f e n d a n t makes a p r i m a 
f a c i e 
e v i d e n t i a r y 
s h o w i n g 
t h a t 
t h e C o u r t h a s no 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
' t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
i s 
t h e n 
r e q u i r e d t o s u b s t a n t i a t e t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n a l 
a l l e g a t i o n s i n 
t h e c o m p l a i n t b y 
a f f i d a v i t s 
o r 
o t h e r 
c o m p e t e n t p r o o f , a n d he may n o t 
m e r e l y r e i t e r a t e t h e 
f a c t u a l a l l e g a t i o n s i n 
t h e c o m p l a i n t . ' 
M e r c a n t i l e C a p i t a l , LP 
v . 
 
F e d e r a l T r a n s t e l , I n c . , 
193 F.Supp.2d 
1 2 4 3 , 
1247 (N.D. 
A l a . 2002) 
( c i t i n g F u t u r e 
T e c h .  
T o d a y , I n c . 
v . OSF H e a l t h c a r e 
S y s . , 
218 
F.3d 
1247, 1249 ( 1 1 t h C i r . 2 0 0 0 ) ) . 
See 
a l s o H a n s e n v . N e u m u e l l e r GmbH, 163 F.R.D. 
471, 
474-75 
(D. D e l . 1995) 
('When 
a 
d e f e n d a n t 
f i l e s 
a 
m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s 
p u r s u a n t 
t o F e d . R . C i v . P . 
1 2 ( b ) ( 2 ) , 
a n d 
s u p p o r t s 
t h a t 
m o t i o n 
w i t h 
a f f i d a v i t s , 
p l a i n t i f f i s r e q u i r e d t o c o n t r o v e r t 
t h o s e 
12 
1100205 
a f f i d a v i t s w i t h h i s own a f f i d a v i t s o r o t h e r 
c o m p e t e n t e v i d e n c e i n o r d e r t o s u r v i v e t h e 
m o t i o n . ' ) 
( c i t i n g Time S h a r e V a c a t i o n 
C l u b  
v. A t l a n t i c R e s o r t s , L t d . , 
735 F.2d 61, 63 
(3d C i r . 
1 9 8 4 ) ) . " 
"'Ex 
p a r t e 
C o v i n g t o n 
P i k e Dodge, I n c . , 90 
4 So. 2d 
226, 
229-30 ( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) . ' " 
Ex 
p a r t e 
Duck Boo 
I n t ' l 
Co., 985 So. 2d 900 
, 905-06 ( A l a . 
2007) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e B u f k i n , 936 So. 2d 1042, 1044-45 ( A l a . 
2 0 0 6 ) ) . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
A l a b a m a c o u r t s may e x e r c i s e p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r an 
o u t - o f - s t a t e d e f e n d a n t o n l y as p e r m i t t e d b y R u l e 4 . 2 ( b ) , A l a . 
R. C i v . P.: 
" R u l e 
4 . 2 ( b ) , 
A l a . R. 
C i v . P., 
A l a b a m a ' s 
' l o n g - a r m ' 
p r o v i s i o n , g o v e r n s 
w h e t h e r an A l a b a m a 
c o u r t 
may 
e x e r c i s e 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
an 
o u t - o f - s t a t e 
d e f e n d a n t . 
I n p e r t i n e n t 
p a r t , 
t h a t 
r u l e s t a t e s : 
" ' ( b ) 
B a s i s f o r O u t - o f - S t a t e 
S e r v i c e . 
An a p p r o p r i a t e b a s i s e x i s t s f o r s e r v i c e o f 
p r o c e s s 
o u t s i d e o f t h i s s t a t e upon a p e r s o n 
o r e n t i t y i n any a c t i o n i n t h i s s t a t e when 
t h e p e r s o n o r e n t i t y has s u c h c o n t a c t s 
w i t h 
t h i s 
s t a t e 
t h a t 
t h e p r o s e c u t i o n 
o f t h e 
a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e p e r s o n o r e n t i t y i n t h i s 
s t a t e 
i s 
n o t 
i n c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
t h e 
c o n s t i t u t i o n 
o f 
t h i s 
s t a t e 
o r 
t h e 
C o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
' 
" T h i s 
r u l e 
e x t e n d s 
t h e 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o f 
A l a b a m a c o u r t s t o t h e l i m i t o f due p r o c e s s u n d e r t h e 
13 
1100205 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
and 
A l a b a m a 
C o n s t i t u t i o n s . 
When 
a p p l y i n g R u l e 4 . 2 ( b ) , t h i s C o u r t has i n t e r p r e t e d t h e 
due 
p r o c e s s 
g u a r a n t e e d 
u n d e r 
t h e 
A l a b a m a 
C o n s t i t u t i o n 
as 
c o e x t e n s i v e 
w i t h 
t h a t 
g u a r a n t e e d 
u n d e r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s 
C o n s t i t u t i o n . " 
H i l l e r 
I n v s . , 
I n c . v . I n s u l t e c h G r o u p , I n c . , 957 So. 2d 1111, 
1114-15 
( A l a . 2 0 0 6 ) . 
Thus, when a p p l y i n g 
R u l e 4.2, A l a . R. 
C i v . P., we l o o k n o t t o s t a t u t e s o r r u l e s , b u t t o t h e e s s e n c e 
o f due p r o c e s s . 
As 
t h i s C o u r t 
s t a t e d i n D i l l o n 
E q u i t i e s v .  
P a l m e r & Cay, I n c . , 501 So. 2d 459, 461 ( A l a . 1 9 8 6 ) , 
i n s t e a d 
o f s i m p l y a p p l y i n g 
f o r m u l a s , we r e l y on p r i n c i p l e s o f f a i r n e s s 
and 
j u s t i c e : 
" ' " [ D ] u e p r o c e s s r e q u i r e s 
o n l y 
t h a t i n o r d e r t o 
s u b j e c t a d e f e n d a n t t o a j u d g m e n t i n p e r s o n a m , i f he 
be n o t p r e s e n t w i t h i n t h e t e r r i t o r y o f t h e f o r u m , he 
h a v e c e r t a i n minimum c o n t a c t s w i t h i t s u c h t h a t t h e 
m a i n t e n a n c e o f t h e s u i t d o e s n o t o f f e n d 
' t r a d i t i o n a l 
n o t i o n s 
o f 
f a i r 
p l a y 
and 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
j u s t i c e . ' " ' 
McGee v . I n t e r n a t i o n a l 
L i f e I n s . Co., 355 U.S. 
220 
( 1 9 5 7 ) , 
q u o t i n g 
I n t e r n a t i o n a l 
Shoe 
Co. 
v . 
 
W a s h i n g t o n , 326 U.S. 
310, 316, 
( 1 9 4 5 ) . 
A l a b a m a ' s 
l o n g - a r m 
s t a t u t e 
( R u l e 
4.2, A l a . R. 
C i v . P.) 
has 
b e e n 
i n t e r p r e t e d 
by 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
t o 
e x t e n d 
t h e 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o f A l a b a m a 
c o u r t s 
t o t h e 
p e r m i s s i b l e 
l i m i t s 
o f due p r o c e s s . 
D e S o t a c h o , I n c . v. 
V a l n i t  
I n d u s t r i e s , 
I n c . , 350 So. 2d 447 
( A l a . 1 9 7 7 ) , Duke  
v. Young, 496 So. 2d 37 ( A l a . 1 9 8 6 ) . 
" A l a b a m a ' s 
l o n g - a r m 
p r o c e d u r e 
f o r s e r v i c e 
o f 
p r o c e s s 
i s n o t 
l i m i t e d 
t o 
' r i g i d 
t r a n s a c t i o n a l 
c a t e g o r i e s ' 
o r 
s u b j e c t 
t o 
a 
m e c h a n i c a l 
f o r m u l a . 
A l a b a m a W a t e r p r o o f i n g Co. v . Hanby, 431 So. 2d 141 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 3 ) . 
I n s t e a d , 
t h e 
r e l e v a n t 
f a c t s 
and 
a t t e n d a n t 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
must be 
e x a m i n e d and 
t h e 
14 
1100205 
r e l a t i o n s h i p among t h e d e f e n d a n t , 
t h e f o r u m , and 
t h e 
l i t i g a t i o n 
a n a l y z e d 
t o d e t e r m i n e 
i f t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
has 
s u f f i c i e n t 
'minimum 
c o n t a c t s ' 
so 
t h a t 
' t h e 
m a i n t e n a n c e o f t h e s u i t d o e s n o t o f f e n d 
" t r a d i t i o n a l 
n o t i o n s 
o f 
f a i r 
p l a y 
and 
s u b s t a n t i a l 
j u s t i c e . " ' 
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Shoe Co. 
v. 
W a s h i n g t o n . " 
P e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s 
a n a l y z e d 
u n d e r 
t h e o r i e s 
o f 
s p e c i f i c 
j u r i s d i c t i o n and g e n e r a l j u r i s d i c t i o n . 
As t h i s 
C o u r t 
e x p l a i n e d 
i n Ex 
p a r t e 
C i t i z e n s 
P r o p e r t y 
I n s u r a n c e 
C o r p . , 
15 
So. 
3d 511, 
516 
( A l a . 2 0 0 9 ) : 
" P e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
c a n 
r e s t e i t h e r 
on 
t h e 
t h e o r y 
o f 
s p e c i f i c 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
when 
'a 
S t a t e 
e x e r c i s e s p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
a d e f e n d a n t i n 
a s u i t 
a r i s i n g 
o u t o f o r r e l a t e d t o t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c o n t a c t s w i t h t h e f o r u m , ' H e l i c o p t e r o s N a c i o n a l e s 
de 
 
C o l o m b i a , S.A. 
v. 
H a l l , 
466 
U.S. 
408, 
414 
n. 
8, 
104 
S. 
C t . 
18 68 , 
8 
0 L. 
Ed. 
2d 
404 
(1 
9 8 4 ) , 
o r 
on 
t h e 
t h e o r y 
o f g e n e r a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
'when t h e c a u s e 
o f 
a c t i o n 
d o e s 
n o t 
a r i s e 
o u t 
o f 
o r 
r e l a t e 
t o 
t h e 
f o r e i g n c o r p o r a t i o n ' s a c t i v i t i e s i n t h e f o r u m S t a t e , 
[ b u t ] 
... 
t h e r e 
a r e 
s u f f i c i e n t 
[ c o n t i n u o u s 
and 
s y s t e m a t i c ] 
c o n t a c t s 
b e t w e e n 
t h e 
S t a t e 
and 
t h e 
f o r e i g n 
c o r p o r a t i o n . ' 
I d . 
a t 414-16, 
104 
S. 
C t . 
18 68; 
see 
a l s o Ex p a r t e C o v i n g t o n 
P i k e Dodge, 
I n c . , 
[904 
So. 2d 226 
( A l a . 2 0 0 4 ) ] . T h i s C o u r t has 
s t a t e d , 
h o w e v e r , 
t h a t 
r e g a r d l e s s 
o f w h e t h e r 
t h e 
i s s u e 
o f 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s 
c o n s i d e r e d 
u n d e r 
s p e c i f i c - j u r i s d i c t i o n 
a n a l y s i s 
o r 
u n d e r 
g e n e r a l - j u r i s d i c t i o n 
a n a l y s i s , 
' [ t ] h e 
c r i t i c a l 
 
q u e s t i o n w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e n o n r e s i d e n t 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
 
c o n t a c t s 
[ w i t h 
t h e 
f o r u m 
s t a t e ] 
i s 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
 
c o n t a c t s 
a r e 
s u c h 
t h a t 
t h e 
n o n r e s i d e n t 
d e f e n d a n t 
 
" ' s h o u l d 
r e a s o n a b l y 
a n t i c i p a t e b e i n g 
h a l e d 
i n t o 
 
c o u r t ' " i n t h e f o r u m s t a t e . ' 
E l l i o t t 
[v. Van 
K l e e f ] , 
830 
So. 
2d 
[726,] 
a t 
730 
[ ( A l a . 
2002 )] 
( q u o t i n g 
B u r g e r K i n g C o r p . v. R u d z e w i c z , 
471 
U.S. 
462, 
473, 
105 
S. C t . 2174, 
85 L. Ed. 
2d 528 
( 1 9 8 5 ) , 
q u o t i n g i n 
15 
1100205 
t u r n 
W o r l d - W i d e 
V o l k s w a g e n 
C o r p . 
v. 
Woodson, 
444 
U.S. 
286, 
2 95, 
100 
S. 
C t . 
559, 
62 
L.Ed. 
2d 
490 
(1980) 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) ) . " 
D a b b i e r i 
a c k n o w l e d g e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
l a c k e d 
g e n e r a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r CBT 
i n t h i s c a s e ;
4 t h u s , 
t h e i s s u e b e f o r e 
us 
i s w h e t h e r t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t had 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
CBT 
u n d e r a s p e c i f i c - c o n t a c t s a n a l y s i s . 
"As 
a g e n e r a l 
r u l e , 
t h e e x e r c i s e o f j u d i c i a l power i s 
n o t 
l a w f u l u n l e s s 
t h e d e f e n d a n t ' p u r p o s e f u l l y a v a i l s 
i t s e l f o f 
t h e 
p r i v i l e g e 
o f 
c o n d u c t i n g 
a c t i v i t i e s 
w i t h i n 
t h e 
f o r u m 
S t a t e , 
t h u s i n v o k i n g t h e b e n e f i t s and p r o t e c t i o n s 
o f i t s l a w s . ' " 
J . 
M c I n t y r e Mach., L t d . v. N i c a s t o , 
U.S. 
, 
131 
S.Ct. 
2780, 2785 
(2011) 
( q u o t i n g Hanson v. 
D e n c k l a , 
357 
U.S. 
235, 
253 
( 1 9 5 8 ) ) . 
I n B u r g e r K i n g C o r p . v. R u d z e w i c z , 471 
U.S. 
462 
( 1 9 8 5 ) , 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
Supreme C o u r t 
e x p l a i n e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
e x e r c i s e 
o f 
s p e c i f i c 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
an 
o u t - o f - s t a t e 
d e f e n d a n t 
r e q u i r e d 
a 
s h o w i n g 
o f 
p u r p o s e f u l 
a c t i o n 
by 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
o f 
d i r e c t i n g 
i t s a c t i v i t y 
t o w a r d r e s i d e n t s 
o f 
t h e 
f o r u m 
s t a t e : 
"Where 
a 
f o r u m 
s e e k s 
t o 
a s s e r t 
s p e c i f i c 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r an o u t - o f - s t a t e d e f e n d a n t who 
has 
n o t 
c o n s e n t e d 
t o 
s u i t 
t h e r e , 
t h i s 
' f a i r 
w a r n i n g ' 
4 S e e D a b b i e r i ' s 
r e s p o n s e i n o p p o s i t i o n t o CBT's m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s , 
a t 5 ( " T h i s i s a c a s e o f 
s p e c i f i c 
j u r i s d i c t i o n . " ) . 
16 
1100205 
r e q u i r e m e n t 
i s 
s a t i s f i e d 
i f 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
has 
' p u r p o s e f u l l y d i r e c t e d ' h i s a c t i v i t i e s 
a t 
r e s i d e n t s 
o f t h e f o r u m , K e e t o n v. H u s t l e r M a g a z i n e , I n c . , 
465 
U.S. 
770 , 774 
(1 9 8 4 ) , 
and 
t h e 
l i t i g a t i o n 
r e s u l t s 
f r o m a l l e g e d 
i n j u r i e s 
t h a t 
' a r i s e o u t 
o f 
o r r e l a t e 
t o ' 
t h o s e 
a c t i v i t i e s , 
H e l i c o p t e r o s 
N a c i o n a l e s 
de 
 
C o l o m b i a , 
S.A. 
v. 
H a l l , 
466 
U.S. 
408, 
414 
( 1 9 8 4 ) . 
Thus 
' [ t ] h e f o r u m S t a t e d o e s n o t 
e x c e e d i t s p o w e r s 
u n d e r t h e 
Due 
P r o c e s s C l a u s e i f i t a s s e r t s 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
a 
c o r p o r a t i o n 
t h a t 
d e l i v e r s i t s 
p r o d u c t s 
i n t o 
t h e 
s t r e a m 
o f 
commerce 
w i t h 
t h e 
e x p e c t a t i o n 
t h a t t h e y w i l l be p u r c h a s e d by c o n s u m e r s 
i n t h e f o r u m S t a t e ' and 
t h o s e p r o d u c t s 
s u b s e q u e n t l y 
i n j u r e f o r u m c o n s u m e r s . 
W o r l d - W i d e V o l k s w a g e n C o r p .  
v. 
Woodson, 
s u p r a , 
444 
U.S. 
[ 2 8 6 ] , 
a t 
297-298 
[ ( 1 9 8 0 ) ] . 
... 
And 
w i t h 
r e s p e c t 
t o 
i n t e r s t a t e 
c o n t r a c t u a l 
o b l i g a t i o n s , we 
h a v e 
e m p h a s i z e d 
t h a t 
p a r t i e s 
who 
' r e a c h 
o u t b e y o n d one 
s t a t e and 
c r e a t e 
c o n t i n u i n g 
r e l a t i o n s h i p s 
and 
o b l i g a t i o n s 
w i t h 
c i t i z e n s o f a n o t h e r s t a t e ' a r e s u b j e c t t o r e g u l a t i o n 
and 
s a n c t i o n s 
i n 
t h e 
o t h e r 
S t a t e 
f o r 
t h e 
c o n s e q u e n c e s 
o f 
t h e i r 
a c t i v i t i e s . 
T r a v e l e r s 
H e a l t h 
 
A s s n . 
v. 
V i r g i n i a , 
339 
U.S. 
643, 
647 
( 1 9 5 0 ) . 
See 
a l s o McGee v. 
I n t e r n a t i o n a l L i f e I n s u r a n c e Co., 
355 
U.S. 
220, 
222-223 
( 1 9 5 7 ) . " 
471 
U.S. 
a t 4 7 2 - 7 3 . 
The Supreme C o u r t went on t o e x p l a i n t h a t 
t o be p u r p o s e f u l , 
t h e 
o u t - o f - s t a t e d e f e n d a n t ' s c o n t a c t s 
w i t h 
t h e 
f o r u m 
s t a t e must be 
d e l i b e r a t e 
and 
s u b s t a n t i a l , r a t h e r 
t h a n a c c i d e n t a l o r random: 
" T h i s ' p u r p o s e f u l a v a i l m e n t ' r e q u i r e m e n t e n s u r e s 
t h a t 
a 
d e f e n d a n t 
w i l l 
n o t 
be 
h a l e d 
i n t o 
a 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
s o l e l y 
as 
a 
r e s u l t 
o f 
'random,' 
' f o r t u i t o u s , ' 
o r 
' a t t e n u a t e d ' 
c o n t a c t s , 
K e e t o n 
v. 
 
H u s t l e r M a g a z i n e , I n c . , 465 
U.S., 
a t 774; 
W o r l d - W i d e  
V o l k s w a g e n 
C o r p . 
v. 
Woodson, 
s u p r a , 
444 
U.S., 
a t 
299, 
o r o f t h e 
' u n i l a t e r a l 
a c t i v i t y o f a n o t h e r 
p a r t y 
o r 
a 
t h i r d 
p e r s o n , ' 
H e l i c o p t e r o s 
N a c i o n a l e s 
de 
17 
1100205 
C o l o m b i a , 
S.A. 
v. 
H a l l , 
s u p r a , 
466 
U.S., 
a t 
417. 
J u r i s d i c t i o n 
i s p r o p e r , 
h o w e v e r , where t h e 
c o n t a c t s 
p r o x i m a t e l y 
r e s u l t 
f r o m 
a c t i o n s 
by 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
h i m s e l f 
t h a t c r e a t e 
a ' s u b s t a n t i a l c o n n e c t i o n ' 
w i t h 
t h e 
f o r u m 
S t a t e . 
McGee 
v. 
I n t e r n a t i o n a l 
L i f e 
 
I n s u r a n c e 
Co., 
s u p r a , 
355 
U.S., 
a t 
223; 
see 
a l s o 
K u l k o v. 
C a l i f o r n i a 
S u p e r i o r 
C o u r t , 
s u p r a , 
436 
U.S. 
[ 8 4 ] , 
a t 
94, 
n. 
7 
[ ( 1 9 7 8 ) ] . 
Thus 
where 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
' d e l i b e r a t e l y ' has e n g a g e d i n 
s i g n i f i c a n t 
a c t i v i t i e s 
w i t h i n 
a 
S t a t e , 
K e e t o n 
v. 
H u s t l e r 
 
M a g a z i n e , 
I n c . , 
s u p r a , 
4 
65 
U.S., 
a t 
781, 
o r 
has 
c r e a t e d 
' c o n t i n u i n g o b l i g a t i o n s ' b e t w e e n h i m s e l f 
and 
r e s i d e n t s 
o f 
t h e 
f o r u m , 
T r a v e l e r s 
H e a l t h 
A s s n . 
v. 
 
V i r g i n i a , 
339 
U.S., 
a t 
648, 
he 
m a n i f e s t l y 
has 
a v a i l e d 
h i m s e l f 
o f 
t h e 
p r i v i l e g e 
o f 
c o n d u c t i n g 
b u s i n e s s 
t h e r e , 
and 
b e c a u s e 
h i s 
a c t i v i t i e s 
a r e 
s h i e l d e d 
by 
' t h e 
b e n e f i t s 
and 
p r o t e c t i o n s ' 
o f 
t h e 
f o r u m ' s l a w s i t i s p r e s u m p t i v e l y 
n o t u n r e a s o n a b l e t o 
r e q u i r e h i m 
t o s u b m i t t o t h e b u r d e n s o f 
l i t i g a t i o n 
i n t h a t f o r u m as 
w e l l . " 
471 
U.S. 
a t 475-76 
( f o o t n o t e 
o m i t t e d ) . 
On a p p e a l , 
CBT 
c i t e s Ex p a r t e 
T r o n c a l l i C h r y s l e r P l y m o u t h  
Dodge, 
I n c . , 
87 6 So. 
2d 
459 
( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) , 
i n s u p p o r t 
o f i t s 
a r g u m e n t 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l 
o f 
i t s m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s was 
i m p r o p e r . 
I n T r o n c a l l i , D a v i d C a s e , a r e s i d e n t 
o f 
A l a b a m a , 
p u r c h a s e d 
an 
a u t o m o b i l e 
f r o m 
T r o n c a l l i 
C h r y s l e r 
P l y m o u t h Dodge, I n c . , 
a G e o r g i a a u t o m o b i l e d e a l e r s h i p . 
C a s e 
l a t e r s u e d T r o n c a l l i , 
a l l e g i n g b a d 
f a i t h , 
m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , 
d e c e i t , b r e a c h o f c o n t r a c t , and 
o t h e r c l a i m s . 
D i s c u s s i n g 
t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t ' s l a c k o f p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r t h e d e f e n d a n t 
i n t h a t c a s e , 
t h i s C o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
18 
1100205 
"Case 
c o n c e d e s , as he must, 
t h a t 
T r o n c a l l i ' s 
j u r i s d i c t i o n a l 
o b j e c t i o n 'might be c o r r e c t i f [Case] 
s i m p l y 
d r o v e t o 
[ T r o n c a l l i ' s ] 
G e o r g i a 
l o c a t i o n t o 
p u r c h a s e t h e v e h i c l e 
w i t h o u t b e i n g i n d u c e d t o do 
s o . ' 
... 
T h i s i s s o , he a r g u e s , b e c a u s e 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
w h i c h p u r p o r t s t o be b a s e d 
s o l e l y on 
an i s o l a t e d s a l e by an o u t - o f - s t a t e d e f e n d a n t t o 
t h e 
i n - s t a t e p l a i n t i f f , i s 
g e n e r a l l y u n s u s t a i n a b l e . 
See 
N e t w o r k P r o f e s s i o n a l s , I n c . 
v. N e t w o r k 
I n t ' l , L t d . , 
146 F.R.D. 179, 181 n. 1 (D. M i n n . 1993) ('The due 
p r o c e s s 
a n a l y s i s 
f o c u s e s on a d e f e n d a n t ' s 
c o n t a c t s 
w i t h t h e f o r u m , n o t i t s c o n t a c t s w i t h t h e p l a i n t i f f ; 
t h u s , 
an 
i s o l a t e d 
s a l e 
w i l l 
n o t 
s u p p o r t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n , 
e v e n i f t h e c a u s e o f a c t i o n 
a r i s e s 
f r o m t h e s a l e . ' ) ; s e e a l s o W i n e s v . L a k e H a v a s u B o a t  
M f g . , I n c . , 
846 F.2d 40 ( 8 t h 
C i r . 1 
988 ); Chung v .  
NANA Dev. C o r p . 783 F.2d 1124, 1126 ( 4 t h C i r . 
1986) 
(a 
s a l e 
c o m p r i s i n g no more t h a n an 
' " i s o l a t e d " o r 
" a t t e n u a t e d " 
s i n g l e t r a n s a c t i o n ... h a s a l w a y s b e e n 
deemed i n a d e q u a t e t o s a t i s f y due p r o c e s s ' ) ; 
C h a r i a 
 
v. 
C i g a r e t t e 
R a c i n g Team, I n c . , 
583 F.2d 184, 189 
( 5 t h 
C i r . 1978) ( ' f o u r s p o r a d i c a n d i s o l a t e d 
s a l e s ' 
d i d 
n o t s u p p o r t p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n ) ; 
B u t l e r v .  
B e e r A c r o s s A m e r i c a , 83 F.Supp.2d 1261 (N.D. A l a . 
2 0 0 0 ) ; a c c o r d S t u a r t v. Spademan, 772 F.2d 1185 ( 5 t h 
C i r . 1 9 8 5 ) ; B e n j a m i n v. W e s t e r n B o a t B u i l d i n g C o r p . , 
472 
F.2d 723 ( 5 t h C i r . 1 9 7 3 ) ; 
D o u g l a s v. M o d e r n  
A e r o , 
I n c . , 954 F.Supp. 
1206 (N.D. O h i o 
1 9 9 7 ) ; 
H i g h w a y 
A u t o 
S a l e s , 
I n c . v . 
A u t o - K o n i g 
o f 
 
S c o t t s d a l e , I n c . , 943 F.Supp. 825 (N.D. O h i o 
1 9 9 6 ) . 
"Of 
p a r t i c u l a r 
r e l e v a n c e 
i s 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
p l a i n t i f f 
i n i t i a t e d 
t h e 
s a l e 
o r 
c o n t a c t . 
See 
M a d i s o n C o n s u l t i n g Group v. S o u t h C a r o l i n a , 7 
52 F.2d 
1193 
( 7 t h 
C i r . 1 9 8 5 ) ; CBP R e s . , I n c . 
v. I n g r e d i e n t  
R e s . 
C o r p . , 
954 F.Supp. 
1106 (M.D. N.C. 
1 
9 9 6 ) ; 
R e g e n t 
L i g h t i n g C o r p . v. A m e r i c a n L i g h t i n g 
C o n c e p t ,  
I n c . , 
25 
F.Supp.2d 
705 
(M.D. N.C. 
1997) ('the 
c o n t a c t s t o be c o n s i d e r e d f o r 
p u r p o s e s o f p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
a r e 
t h o s e 
a c t u a l l y 
g e n e r a t e d 
b y 
D e f e n d a n t s , n o t t h o s e c r e a t e d by t h e u n i l a t e r a l 
a c t s 
o f 
P l a i n t i f f ' ) ; 
W e l l s A m e r i c a n 
C o r p . v. 
S u n s h i n e 
19 
1100205 
E l e c t r o n i c s , 
717 F.Supp. 1121, 
1123 
(D.S.C. 
1 9 8 9 ) ; 
A m e r i c a n 
S t a i r 
C o r p . 
v. 
R e n a t a 
C o n s t r . 
Co., 
62 5 
F.Supp. 136 
(N.D. 
I l l . 1 9 8 5 ) . 
"Thus, 
s o m e t h i n g more t h a n an i s o l a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
i n i t i a t e d 
by an 
i n - s t a t e p l a i n t i f f 
i s r e q u i r e d 
t o 
s a t i s f y 
t h e 
' p u r p o s e f u l - a v a i l m e n t ' 
p r o n g 
o f 
t h e 
d u e - p r o c e s s 
a n a l y s i s . 
' S o m e t h i n g 
more' 
m i g h t 
i n v o l v e 
' p r i o r n e g o t i a t i o n s and c o n t e m p l a t e d f u t u r e  
c o n s e q u e n c e s , 
a l o n g 
w i t h 
... 
t h e 
p a r t i e s ' 
a c t u a l 
c o u r s e o f d e a l i n g . ' 
B u r g e r K i n g C o r p . v. R u d z e w i c z , 
471 
U.S. 
462, 
463 
(1985) 
( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . 
' S o m e t h i n g more' m i g h t be f o u n d 'where t h e d e f e n d a n t 
" d e l i b e r a t e l y " has e n g a g e d i n s i g n i f i c a n t 
a c t i v i t i e s 
w i t h i n 
[Alabama] 
... 
o r 
has 
c r e a t e d 
" c o n t i n u i n g 
 
o b l i g a t i o n s " 
b e t w e e n 
h i m s e l f 
and 
r e s i d e n t s 
o f 
[ A l a b a m a ] . ' 
471 U.S. 
a t 475-76 ( e m p h a s i s 
a d d e d ) . " 
876 So. 2d a t 
464-65. 
D a b b i e r i 
p o i n t s 
t o 
t h i s 
C o u r t ' s q u o t a t i o n 
i n 
T r o n c a l l i 
( q u o t i n g 
B u r g e r 
K i n g ) 
t h a t 
t h e 
c r e a t i o n 
o f 
" ' c o n t i n u i n g 
o b l i g a t i o n s ' " 
b e t w e e n 
t h e 
o u t - o f - s t a t e 
d e f e n d a n t 
and 
t h e 
A l a b a m a p l a i n t i f f m i g h t make an o t h e r w i s e 
" i s o l a t e d 
c o n t a c t " 
s u f f i c i e n t t o s a t i s f y t h e " ' p u r p o s e f u l 
a v a i l m e n t ' p r o n g o f t h e 
d u e - p r o c e s s a n a l y s i s . " 
876 So. 2d a t 465. 
She a r g u e s i n h e r 
b r i e f 
t h a t 
" C i t y 
B o y ' s 
w a r r a n t i e s 
c r e a t e d 
c o n t i n u i n g 
o b l i g a t i o n s t o an A l a b a m a r e s i d e n t . " 
D a b b i e r i ' s 
b r i e f , a t 16. 
D a b b i e r i a r g u e s , b a s e d on Wease's a f f i d a v i t , 
t h a t CBT h a d 
an 
o n g o i n g 
b u s i n e s s 
r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Wease 
and 
D a b b i e r i 
and 
t h e r e f o r e knew, when D a b b i e r i p u r c h a s e d t h e t i r e on M a r c h 
19, 
20 
1100205 
2008, t h a t D a b b i e r i was 
an A l a b a m a c i t i z e n . 
D a b b i e r i 
f u r t h e r 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
p u r c h a s e 
o f 
t h e 
new 
t i r e , 
w i t h 
t h e 
a c c o m p a n y i n g p r o m i s e by CBT 
t o r o t a t e and b a l a n c e t h e 
t i r e 
o r 
t o r e p l a c e 
i t i f i t f a i l e d , c r e a t e d a c o n t i n u i n g o b l i g a t i o n on 
CBT's p a r t w i t h i n t h i s S t a t e , t h u s m a k i n g i t f o r e s e e a b l e 
t h a t 
CBT 
w o u l d be 
h a l e d 
i n t o c o u r t 
i n A l a b a m a . 
B u t 
t h e 
l i m i t e d 
o b l i g a t i o n 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e 
-- CBT's p r o m i s e 
t o 
r o t a t e 
and, 
i f 
n e c e s s a r y , 
t o 
r e p a i r 
o r 
r e p l a c e 
t h e 
t i r e 
a t 
i t s p l a c e 
o f 
b u s i n e s s i n H i g h S p r i n g s , 
F l o r i d a -- i n v o l v e s no o b l i g a t i o n i n 
A l a b a m a . 
D a b b i e r i 
a l s o 
d i r e c t s 
o u r 
a t t e n t i o n 
t o 
Ex 
p a r t e 
Pope 
 
C h e v r o l e t , 
I n c . , 
555 
So. 
2d 
109, 
114 
( A l a . 1 9 8 9 ) , 
i n w h i c h 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
h e l d 
t h a t 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t , 
"a 
l a r g e - v o l u m e 
[ a u t o m o b i l e ] d e a l e r s h i p , " 
had 
p u r p o s e f u l l y 
a v a i l e d 
i t s e l f 
o f 
t h e 
p r o t e c t i o n 
o f A l a b a m a 
l a w s when 
i t a d v e r t i s e d 
t h r o u g h 
r e g i o n a l 
p u b l i c a t i o n s , 
" s o l i c i t i n g 
s a l e s 
f r o m 
b e y o n d 
t h e 
b o r d e r s 
o f 
G e o r g i a . " 
However, 
D a b b i e r i 
p r o v i d e s 
no 
e x p l a n a t i o n 
o f how Pope a p p l i e s i n t h i s c a s e , and 
t h e 
e v i d e n c e 
b e f o r e 
t h i s 
C o u r t does 
n o t 
i n d i c a t e t h a t 
CBT 
was 
"a 
l a r g e -
v o l u m e " t i r e s t o r e t h a t a d v e r t i s e d a c r o s s 
a m u l t i s t a t e 
r e g i o n . 
21 
1100205 
S i m i l a r l y , D a b b i e r i 
c i t e s L o w r y v . Owens, 621 So. 2d 1262 
( A l a . 
1 9 9 3 ) , a c a s e f a c t u a l l y s i m i l a r t o and r e l y i n g on Pope, 
b u t a g a i n w i t h o u t an e x p l a n a t i o n as t o i t s 
a p p l i c a b i l i t y . 
L i k e 
P o p e , 
t h e d e c i s i o n 
i n L o w r y 
t u r n e d 
on t h e f a c t 
t h a t t h e 
d e f e n d a n t ' s a d v e r t i s i n g t a r g e t e d A l a b a m a r e s i d e n t s . As n o t e d , 
CBT does n o t a d v e r t i s e i n A l a b a m a . 
I n d i s c u s s i n g Pope and 
L o w r y , t h e T r o n c a l l i C o u r t n o t e d 
t h a t 
t h o s e c a s e s 
" i n v o l v e d 
much 
more 
t h a n 
i s o l a t e d 
c o n t a c t s 
i n i t i a t e d 
by 
i n - s t a t e 
p l a i n t i f f s . " 
876 So. 2d a t 467. 
D a b b i e r i 
a l s o 
c i t e s B o y d v. U - H a u l I n t e r n a t i o n a l , 
I n c . , 
527 So. 2d 713 ( A l a . 
1 9 8 8 ) , i n w h i c h 
t h i s 
C o u r t u p h e l d t h e 
e x e r c i s e 
o f 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
o v e r 
an 
i n t e r n a t i o n a l 
c o r p o r a t i o n 
t h a t was a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e management and 
o p e r a t i o n s 
o f i t s 
A l a b a m a 
s u b s i d i a r y . 
L i k e Pope and L o w r y , 
h o w e v e r , 
t h i s 
c a s e i s i n a p p l i c a b l e . 
CBT does n o t h a v e an 
A l a b a m a s u b s i d i a r y , n o r d o e s i t 
do any b u s i n e s s i n A l a b a m a . 
D a b b i e r i 
a l s o a r g u e s t h a t t h e r e f e r e n c e 
i n T r o n c a l l i t o 
" s o m e t h i n g more t h a n an i s o l a t e d c o n t a c t , " 876 So. 2d a t 465, 
i s a m i s a p p l i c a t i o n o f A s a h i 
M e t a l 
I n d u s t r y Co. v . 
S u p e r i o r 
 
C o u r t o f C a l i f o r n i a , 480 U.S. 102 ( 1 9 8 7 ) , a u t h o r e d by J u s t i c e 
O'Connor, and she " u r g e s t h e C o u r t t o t a k e t h i s o p p o r t u n i t y t o 
22 
1100205 
e x p l a i n t h a t [Ex p a r t e DBI, I n c . , 23 So. 3d 635 ( A l a . 2 0 0 9 ) , ] 
a l s o h a d t h e e f f e c t o f o v e r r u l i n g t h e ' s o m e t h i n g more' 
t e s t 
t h a t 
was 
a n n o u n c e d 
f o r t h e 
f i r s t 
t i m e 
i n 
T r o n c a l l i . " 
D a b b i e r i ' s 
b r i e f , 
a t 
2 0 - 2 1 . 
D a b b i e r i 
a r g u e s 
t h a t 
t h e 
T r o n c a l l i 
C o u r t ' s 
r e f e r e n c e 
t o 
" s o m e t h i n g 
more" 
i s t h e 
e q u i v a l e n t o f " s t r e a m - o f - c o m m e r c e - p l u s " 
(a common s h o r t h a n d 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
a n d o t h e r s h a v e 
u s e d 
t o d e s c r i b e 
t h e t h e o r y 
a d v a n c e d by J u s t i c e 
O'Connor's 
o p i n i o n i n A s a h i ) a n d 
t h a t 
r e j e c t i n g 
t h e 
" s t r e a m - o f - c o m m e r c e - p l u s " 
a r g u m e n t 
w o u l d 
t h e r e f o r e 
r e q u i r e us t o r e a c h a d i f f e r e n t outcome t h a n t h e 
outcome d i c t a t e d by t h i s C o u r t ' s d e c i s i o n i n T r o n c a l l i . 
U l t i m a t e l y , h o w e v e r , t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n 
" s t r e a m - o f -
commerce" a n d " s t r e a m - o f - c o m m e r c e - p l u s " i s i r r e l e v a n t t o t h i s 
c a s e . 
The c a s e s 
c i t e d b y D a b b i e r i -- A s a h i , DBI, Ex p a r t e  
A l l o y W h e e l s I n t e r n a t i o n a l , L t d . , 882 So. 2d 819 ( A l a . 2 0 0 3 ) , 
Brown v . ABUS K r a n s y s t e m e GmbH, 11 So. 3d 788 ( A l a . 2 0 0 8 ) , a n d 
Ex p a r t e M c I n n i s , 820 So. 2d 795 ( A l a . 2001) -- e a c h 
i n v o l v e d 
a p r o d u c t , p l a c e d i n t o t h e s t r e a m o f commerce, t h a t 
a l l e g e d l y 
c a u s e d harm i n t h e p l a c e t o w h i c h t h e s t r e a m t o o k 
i t . 
T h a t 
d i d n o t h a p p e n h e r e . 
The t i r e CBT s o l d t o D a b b i e r i was n o t 
d e f e c t i v e , a n d i t 
d i d 
n o t c a u s e harm t o h e r o r anyone 
e l s e . 
23 
1100205 
D a b b i e r i ' s 
c a u s e 
o f 
a c t i o n 
a g a i n s t 
CBT 
does 
n o t 
i n v o l v e 
a 
p r o d u c t 
t h a t e n t e r e d A l a b a m a t h r o u g h t h e s t r e a m o f commerce; 
r a t h e r , t h i s c a s e i n v o l v e s an a l l e g e d n e g l i g e n t i n s p e c t i o n and 
c o n s e q u e n t 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
w a r n . 
B o t h 
t h e 
a l l e g e d 
n e g l i g e n t 
i n s p e c t i o n 
and 
f a i l u r e 
t o 
warn 
o c c u r r e d , 
i f 
a t 
a l l , i n 
F l o r i d a . 
The d e b a t e b e t w e e n " s t r e a m - o f - c o m m e r c e " and 
" s t r e a m -
o f - c o m m e r c e - p l u s " i s , t h e r e f o r e , d e s p i t e D a b b i e r i ' s 
e x t e n d e d 
a r g u m e n t 
i n h e r 
b r i e f , 
s i m p l y 
i n a p p l i c a b l e . 
As 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s C o u r t o f A p p e a l s f o r t h e F o u r t h C i r c u i t s a i d i n F e d e r a l  
I n s u r a n c e Co. 
v. L a k e S h o r e I n c . , 
886 
F.2d 
654, 
659-60 
( 4 t h 
C i r . 
1 9 8 9 ) : 
"[A] 
' s t r e a m 
o f 
commerce' 
t h e o r y 
o f 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
has 
no 
a p p l i c a b i l i t y 
h e r e . 
F a c t o r s 
t h a t m i g h t make s u c h 
a t h e o r y 
a p p l i c a b l e , s u c h 
as 
m a r k e t i n g 
and 
a d v e r t i s i n g a p r o d u c t 
f o r t h e 
f o r u m 
s t a t e , 
a r e 
a b s e n t . 
A s a h i , 
480 
U.S. 
a t 
112 
(O'Connor, J . ) . 
The 
c a s e a l s o a p p e a r s t o be 
one 
i n 
w h i c h 
'a 
c o n s u m e r 
f o r t u i t o u s l y 
t r a n s p o r t s 
a 
d e f e n d a n t ' s 
p r o d u c t ' 
i n t o 
a f o r u m 
r a t h e r 
t h a n 
one 
i n v o l v i n g a f o r u m where ' t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s p r o d u c t 
was 
r e g u l a r l y 
s o l d . ' 
I d . 
a t 
119 
( B r e n n a n , 
J . , 
c o n c u r r i n g 
i n p a r t and 
c o n c u r r i n g 
i n t h e 
j u d g m e n t ) . 
F i n a l l y , 
t h e 
c a s e 
i s n o t 
one 
i n v o l v i n g a 
' r e g u l a r 
c o u r s e 
o f 
d e a l i n g 
t h a t 
r e s u l t s 
i n 
d e l i v e r i e s ' 
o f 
m u l t i p l e u n i t s i n t o a f o r u m 
' a n n u a l l y o v e r a p e r i o d 
o f 
s e v e r a l 
y e a r s . ' 
I d . 
a t 
122 
( S t e v e n s , 
J . , 
c o n c u r r i n g 
i n p a r t and 
c o n c u r r i n g 
i n t h e 
j u d g m e n t ) . 
W h e t h e r p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n w o u l d a t t a c h i n 
t h e s e 
l a t t e r 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
u n d e r 
a 
' s t r e a m 
o f 
commerce' 
t h e o r y 
i s s i m p l y n o t b e f o r e 
u s . " 
24 
1100205 
D a b b i e r i 
a l s o 
c i t e s 
Kehoe v . B o a t 
S a r a T., 
I n c . , 653 
F.Supp. 853 (D. M a s s . 1 9 8 7 ) , and S i e r r a v. A B e t t e r w a y R e n t - A - 
C a r , I n c . , 
863 So. 2d 358 ( F l a . D i s t . C t . App. 2 0 0 3 ) , t o show 
t h a t l a n g u a g e f r o m s t r e a m - o f - c o m m e r c e c a s e s h a s b e e n 
a p p l i e d 
t o s e r v i c e - r e l a t e d , as o p p o s e d t o p r o d u c t - r e l a t e d , 
l i t i g a t i o n . 
Kehoe and 
S i e r r a , h o w e v e r , 
i n v o l v e d 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
u n d e r a g e n e r a l - c o n t a c t s 
a n a l y s i s and n o t , as h e r e , u n d e r a 
s p e c i f i c - c o n t a c t s 
a n a l y s i s . 
I n Ex p a r t e 
C i t i z e n s 
P r o p e r t y 
I n s u r a n c e 
C o r p . , 
s u p r a , 
t h i s C o u r t s t a t e d t h a t 
" [ t ] h e i s s u e o f p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
' " s t a n d s o r f a l l s on t h e u n i q u e f a c t s o f [ e a c h ] c a s e . " ' " 
15 
So. 3d a t 515 ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e I.M.C., I n c . , 
485 So. 2d 724, 
725 
( A l a . 
1 9 8 6 ) ) . 
CBT a r g u e s 
t h a t t h e f a c t s i n t h i s 
c a s e 
d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h e t r a n s a c t i o n h e r e was n o t h i n g 
"more t h a n 
an 
i s o l a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
i n i t i a t e d 
b y an 
i n - s t a t e 
p l a i n t i f f . " 
T r o n c a l l i , 
876 So. 2d a t 4 
65. 
As 
E l l i s o n 
s t a t e d 
i n h i s 
a f f i d a v i t , CBT d o e s no b u s i n e s s i n A l a b a m a . 
I t h a s no 
o f f i c e 
o r a g e n t h e r e and owns no p r o p e r t y 
i n t h i s 
S t a t e . 
CBT d o e s 
n o t 
a d v e r t i s e i n A l a b a m a and makes no e f f o r t t o o b t a i n t h e 
b u s i n e s s 
o f A l a b a m a 
c i t i z e n s . 
L i k e 
t h e 
t r a n s a c t i o n 
i n 
T r o n c a l l i , 
CBT's 
s a l e 
o f 
t h e 
t i r e 
t o 
D a b b i e r i 
was 
an 
25 
1100205 
" ' " i s o l a t e d 
... 
s i n g l e 
t r a n s a c t i o n , ' " 
876 
So. 
2d 
a t 
464, 
a 
c o n t a c t 
" ' " c r e a t e d by t h e u n i l a t e r a l a c t s o f t h e 
P l a i n t i f f . " ' " 
876 
So. 
2d 
a t 465 
( q u o t i n g 
o t h e r 
c a s e s ) . 
D a b b i e r i , 
h o w e v e r , 
a r g u e s 
t h a t , 
b e c a u s e 
she 
gave 
CBT 
h e r 
A l a b a m a 
a d d r e s s 
and 
b e c a u s e 
CBT 
saw 
t h a t 
t h e 
v a n 
was 
l i c e n s e d 
i n A l a b a m a , 
CBT 
s h o u l d 
h a v e f o r e s e e n 
t h a t 
any 
f a u l t y work on 
i t s p a r t 
m i g h t 
l e a d 
t o 
l i t i g a t i o n 
i n A l a b a m a . 
B u t , 
as 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
Supreme C o u r t s a i d i n W o r l d - W i d e V o l k s w a g e n C o r p . v. Woodson, 
444 
U.S. 
286, 
295-97 
( 1 9 8 0 ) , 
" f o r e s e e a b i l i t y " a l o n e d o e s 
n o t 
j u s t i f y 
t h e 
e x e r c i s e 
o f p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n : 
" A p p l y i n g 
t h e s e p r i n c i p l e s t o t h e c a s e a t h a n d , 
we 
f i n d 
i n t h e 
r e c o r d 
b e f o r e 
us 
a t o t a l a b s e n c e 
o f 
t h o s e a f f i l i a t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h a t a r e a n e c e s s a r y 
p r e d i c a t e 
t o 
any 
e x e r c i s e 
o f 
s t a t e - c o u r t 
j u r i s d i c t i o n . 
P e t i t i o n e r s 
c a r r y 
on 
no 
a c t i v i t y 
w h a t s o e v e r 
i n O k l a h o m a . 
They 
c l o s e 
no 
s a l e s 
and 
p e r f o r m no s e r v i c e s t h e r e . 
They a v a i l t h e m s e l v e s 
o f 
none o f t h e p r i v i l e g e s and b e n e f i t s o f Oklahoma 
l a w . 
They 
s o l i c i t 
no 
b u s i n e s s 
t h e r e 
e i t h e r 
t h r o u g h 
s a l e s p e r s o n s 
o r 
t h r o u g h 
a d v e r t i s i n g 
r e a s o n a b l y 
c a l c u l a t e d t o r e a c h t h e 
S t a t e . 
Nor 
d o e s t h e 
r e c o r d 
show t h a t 
t h e y r e g u l a r l y 
s e l l 
c a r s 
a t w h o l e s a l e 
o r 
r e t a i l 
t o Oklahoma c u s t o m e r s 
o r 
r e s i d e n t s 
o r 
t h a t 
t h e y 
i n d i r e c t l y , 
t h r o u g h 
o t h e r s , 
s e r v e 
o r 
s e e k 
t o 
s e r v e 
t h e 
O k l a h o m a m a r k e t . 
I n 
s h o r t , 
r e s p o n d e n t s 
s e e k 
t o 
b a s e 
j u r i s d i c t i o n 
on 
one, 
i s o l a t e d 
o c c u r r e n c e 
and 
w h a t e v e r 
i n f e r e n c e s 
can 
be 
drawn 
t h e r e f r o m . 
... 
" I t 
i s 
a r g u e d , 
h o w e v e r , 
t h a t 
b e c a u s e 
an 
a u t o m o b i l e i s m o b i l e by 
i t s v e r y 
d e s i g n 
and 
p u r p o s e 
i t was 
' f o r e s e e a b l e ' 
t h a t t h e R o b i n s o n s ' A u d i w o u l d 
26 
1100205 
c a u s e 
i n j u r y 
i n O k l a h o m a . 
Y e t 
' f o r e s e e a b i l i t y ' 
a l o n e 
has 
n e v e r 
b e e n 
a 
s u f f i c i e n t 
b e n c h m a r k f o r 
p e r s o n a l 
j u r i s d i c t i o n u n d e r t h e Due P r o c e s s 
C l a u s e . 
" I f 
f o r e s e e a b i l i t y were t h e c r i t e r i o n , a 
l o c a l 
C a l i f o r n i a 
t i r e 
r e t a i l e r 
c o u l d be f o r c e d t o d e f e n d 
i n 
P e n n s y l v a n i a 
when a b l o w o u t 
o c c u r s 
t h e r e , 
s e e 
E r l a n g e r 
M i l l s , 
I n c . v. Cohoes 
F i b r e 
M i l l s , I n c . , 
239 
F.2d 
502 , 
507 
( 4 t h C i r . 1 9 5 6 ) ; 
a 
W i s c o n s i n 
s e l l e r o f a d e f e c t i v e a u t o m o b i l e j a c k c o u l d be 
h a l e d 
b e f o r e 
a 
d i s t a n t 
c o u r t 
f o r damage 
c a u s e d 
i n 
New 
J e r s e y , 
R e i l l y 
v. 
P h i l 
T o l k a n 
P o n t i a c , 
I n c . , 372 
F.Supp. 
1205 
( N . J . 1 9 7 4 ) ; o r a F l o r i d a 
s o f t - d r i n k 
c o n c e s s i o n a i r e 
c o u l d 
be 
summoned 
t o 
A l a s k a 
t o 
a c c o u n t f o r i n j u r i e s h a p p e n i n g t h e r e , s e e U p p g r e n v .  
E x e c u t i v e 
A v i a t i o n S e r v i c e s , I n c . , 304 F.Supp. 165, 
170-171 
( M i n n . 
1 9 6 9 ) . 
E v e r y 
s e l l e r 
o f 
c h a t t e l s 
w o u l d i n e f f e c t 
a p p o i n t 
t h e c h a t t e l h i s a g e n t f o r 
s e r v i c e o f p r o c e s s . 
H i s a m e n a b i l i t y t o s u i t 
w o u l d 
t r a v e l w i t h t h e c h a t t e l . 
... 
" T h i s 
i s 
n o t 
t o 
s a y , 
o f 
c o u r s e , 
t h a t 
f o r e s e e a b i l i t y 
i s 
w h o l l y 
i r r e l e v a n t . 
B u t 
t h e 
f o r e s e e a b i l i t y 
t h a t 
i s 
c r i t i c a l 
t o 
due 
p r o c e s s 
a n a l y s i s i s n o t t h e mere 
l i k e l i h o o d 
t h a t a 
p r o d u c t 
w i l l 
f i n d i t s 
way 
i n t o t h e f o r u m S t a t e . 
R a t h e r , i t 
i s 
t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s c o n d u c t and c o n n e c t i o n 
w i t h 
t h e f o r u m S t a t e a r e s u c h t h a t he s h o u l d 
r e a s o n a b l y 
a n t i c i p a t e b e i n g 
h a l e d 
i n t o c o u r t t h e r e . 
See K u l k o  
v. 
C a l i f o r n i a 
S u p e r i o r 
C o u r t , 
s u p r a , 436 U.S. [ 8 4 ] , 
a t 
97-98 
[ ( 1 9 7 8 ) ] ; 
S h a f f e r 
v. 
H e i t n e r , 
433 
U.S. 
[ 1 8 6 ] , 
a t 216 
[ ( 1 
977 ) ] , 
and s e e i d . , 
a t 
217-219 
( S t e v e n s , 
J . , c o n c u r r i n g 
i n j u d g m e n t ) . 
The 
Due 
P r o c e s s 
C l a u s e , 
b y 
e n s u r i n g 
t h e 
' o r d e r l y 
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f t h e l a w s , ' 
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Shoe Co.  
v. W a s h i n g t o n , 326 U.S., 
a t 319, g i v e s a d e g r e e o f 
p r e d i c t a b i l i t y 
t o 
t h e 
l e g a l 
s y s t e m 
t h a t 
a l l o w s 
p o t e n t i a l 
d e f e n d a n t s 
t o 
s t r u c t u r e 
t h e i r 
p r i m a r y 
c o n d u c t w i t h some minimum a s s u r a n c e as t o where t h a t 
c o n d u c t 
w i l l 
and 
w i l l 
n o t 
r e n d e r 
them 
l i a b l e 
t o 
s u i t . " 
27 
1100205 
( F o o t n o t e 
o m i t t e d . ) 
A p p l y i n g 
t h e s e 
p r i n c i p l e s 
t o 
D a b b i e r i ' s 
t i r e 
p u r c h a s e 
f r o m CBT, 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t t h a t t r a n s a c t i o n was 
an 
" i s o l a t e d 
o c c u r r e n c e " 
t h a t 
was 
n o t 
s u f f i c i e n t 
t o 
c a u s e 
CBT 
t o 
" r e a s o n a b l y a n t i c i p a t e b e i n g h a l e d i n t o c o u r t " i n A l a b a m a . 
As 
t h i s 
C o u r t 
r e c e n t l y 
s a i d 
i n Ex 
p a r t e No. 
1 S t e e l 
P r o d u c t s , 
I n c . , 
[Ms. 1 0 9 1 7 8 1 , J u l y 29, 2011] 
So. 3d 
, 
( A l a . 
2 0 1 1 ) : 
"We 
have i n p r e v i o u s c a s e s 
' e x p l i c i t l y r e c o g n i z e d t h a t 
a 
o n e - t i m e 
c o n t r a c t 
f o r 
t h e 
p u r c h a s e 
o f 
goods 
i s 
an 
i n s u f f i c i e n t b a s i s f o r j u r i s d i c t i o n . ' " 
( Q u o t i n g V i s t a L a n d &  
E q u i p . , L.L.C. v. C o m p u t e r P r o g r a m s & S y s . , 
I n c . , 953 
So. 
2d 
1170, 
1177 
( A l a . 2 0 0 6 ) . ) 
T h e r e f o r e , 
b a s e d 
on 
t h e 
Supreme 
C o u r t ' s 
l a n g u a g e 
i n W o r l d - W i d e 
V o l k s w a g e n 
and 
on 
o u r 
own 
d e c i s i o n 
i n 
T r o n c a l l i , 
we 
c o n c l u d e 
t h a t 
t h e 
e x e r c i s e 
o f 
p e r s o n a l j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r CBT by t h e 
t r i a l c o u r t i n t h i s 
c a s e 
w o u l d v i o l a t e due 
p r o c e s s . 
CBT 
s t a t e s i n i t s r e p l y b r i e f t h a t " [ n ] o t h i n g i n any 
o f 
t h e 
e v i d e n c e 
p r e s e n t e d 
by 
D a b b i e r i shows 
a n y t h i n g 
a t a l l 
h a v i n g 
b e e n 
done 
by 
[CBT] 
t o 
show 
i t h a v i n g 
any 
c o n t a c t 
d i r e c t e d t o t h e S t a t e o f A l a b a m a . " 
CBT's r e p l y b r i e f , 
a t 
5. 
CBT 
c o n t i n u e s : 
28 
1100205 
"The 
o n l y 
t h i n g 
[CBT] 
d i d was 
s e l l 
a 
t i r e 
t o 
D a b b i e r i , who 
i n i t i a t e d t h e c o n t r a c t , gave them an 
A l a b a m a 
a d d r e s s , 
and, 
a c c o r d i n g 
t o 
D a b b i e r i , 
b u t 
d e n i e d by [ C B T ] , 
f a i l e d t o warn h e r t h e t i r e s on h e r 
v a n 
were 
t h e w r o n g 
s i z e . 
T h i s 
s i n g l e 
e v e n t 
t o o k 
p l a c e e n t i r e l y i n H i g h S p r i n g s , F l o r i d a , a t t h e shop 
o f 
[CBT] and r e s u l t e d f r o m t h e u n i l a t e r a l 
a c t i v i t y 
o f D a b b i e r i . 
T h i s i s t h e o n l y c o n t a c t e n u m e r a t e d by 
D a b b i e r i w h i c h i s r e l a t e d t o h e r c a u s e o f a c t i o n . 
Any 
c o n t a c t 
[CBT] may 
h a v e h a d w i t h 
D o n a l d Wease 
w o u l d n o t be r e l a t e d t o p l a i n t i f f ' s c a u s e o f a c t i o n 
a g a i n s t 
[ C B T ] . " 
CBT's r e p l y b r i e f , 
a t 5. 
We 
a g r e e . 
The 
l i m i t e d 
e v i d e n c e 
b e f o r e 
t h i s C o u r t 
g i v e s no i n d i c a t i o n t h a t CBT 
" p u r p o s e f u l l y 
a v a i l e d " 
i t s e l f o f t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e l a w s o f A l a b a m a o r 
t h a t i t s h o u l d r e a s o n a b l y h a v e e x p e c t e d t o be h a l e d i n t o 
c o u r t 
h e r e . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , we c o n c l u d e 
t h a t CBT h a d a c l e a r 
l e g a l 
r i g h t t o have D a b b i e r i ' s 
c l a i m s 
a g a i n s t i t d i s m i s s e d ; 
t h u s , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d 
i n d e n y i n g 
CBT's 
m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s . 
We 
t h e r e f o r e g r a n t t h e p e t i t i o n and i s s u e t h e w r i t 
o f mandamus, d i r e c t i n g t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t t o v a c a t e i t s o r d e r 
29 
1100205 
d e n y i n g 
CBT's 
m o t i o n 
t o 
d i s m i s s 
and 
t o 
e n t e r 
an 
o r d e r 
d i s m i s s i n g D a b b i e r i ' s a c t i o n as t o CBT. 
P E T I T I O N GRANTED; WRIT ISSUED. 
M a l o n e , 
C . J . , and S t u a r t , 
B o l i n , Shaw, M a i n , and 
W i s e , 
J J . , 
c o n c u r . 
W o o d a l l and M u r d o c k , J J . , 
c o n c u r i n t h e 
r e s u l t . 
30