Opinion ID: 461620
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Court's Jurisdiction Over The Subject Matter and The Parties

Text: 11 Our analysis and disposition of this appeal will be easier to follow if we begin with the district court's subject matter jurisdiction and the effect, if any, of the Saudi Arabian exclusive jurisdiction provisions on the courts of this country. ARAMCO contends that the exclusive jurisdiction provisions of the Saudi Arabian Labor Law deprived the United States District Court of subject matter jurisdiction. We disagree. The district court had subject matter jurisdiction of this dispute by virtue of the diverse citizenship of the parties and the claim for damages in excess of $10,000. Moreover, the parties do not dispute that the court had in personam jurisdiction over the defendant. 12 The exclusive jurisdiction provisions of the Labor Law cannot deprive a United States District Court of subject matter jurisdiction. The geopolitical outreach of a foreign country's legislative jurisdiction normally does not extend beyond its borders, and the effect of a foreign sovereign's laws in another country depends on the recognition the other country chooses to give it either through notions of comity and reciprocity or through a formal agreement or treaty between sovereigns. We reject outright the notion that the law of a foreign country can unilaterally curtail the power of our federal courts to hear a dispute even though the dispute involves rights fixed by the laws of another nation. Only the Constitution and the laws of the United States can dictate what cases or controversies our federal courts may hear, and the parties have not directed our attention to any treaties or agreements with Saudi Arabia that would require our courts to refrain from exercising jurisdiction in this case.