Opinion ID: 1665281
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Generally Applicable Principles of Law

Text: In Ex parte Bufkin, 936 So.2d at 1045, this Court stated the principles generally applicable to challenges to jurisdiction: `A state has jurisdiction over a person or corporation so long as its long-arm statute reaches the person or corporation and the state's jurisdiction comports with the requirements of due process.' Leithead v. Banyan Corp., 926 So.2d 1025, 1029-30 (Ala.2005). Rule 4.2, Ala. R. Civ. P., Alabama's long-arm rule, provides: `An appropriate basis exists for service of process outside of this state upon a person or entity in any action in this state when the person or entity has such contacts with this state that the prosecution of the action against the person or entity in this state is not inconsistent with the constitution of this state or the Constitution of the United States....' Therefore, Alabama's long-arm rule extends the personal jurisdiction of Alabama courts to the limits of due process permissible under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Art. I, § 13, Constitution of Alabama of 1901. See Ex parte Alloy Wheels Int'l, 882 So.2d 819, 822 (Ala. 2003). `The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment permits a forum state to subject a nonresident defendant to jurisdiction in its courts only when that defendant has had minimum contacts with the forum state.' Ex parte Full Circle Distrib., L.L.C., 883 So.2d 638, 644 (Ala.2003) (citing International Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310, 316, 66 S.Ct. 154, 90 L.Ed. 95 (1945)). We must apply these principles in light of the facts of this case and our precedent. Choi's affidavit does not contradict the allegations of the complaint relating to jurisdiction, which, as previously noted, is silent on specific activities in Alabama. Nor does Choi's affidavit contradict the evidence in Leytham's submission except where it states that Duck Boo had no knowledge of what would become of its restraint systems after it sold them to Kia Motors Corporation (a Korean corporation) in the Republic of Korea, beyond the general knowledge that [Duck Boo] restraint systems would be installed in vehicles in the Republic of Korea. The affidavit of Leytham's counsel describing the photograph of the label on the seat belt in the Kia Sephia automobile involved in the accident here reflects conduct of Duck Boo consistent with its foreknowledge that the product would be exported to the United States for sale in the United States. Nevertheless, there is no evidence indicating that Duck Boo acted in any way specifically directed to the Alabama market other than to the extent that the evidence establishes an intent to serve the United States market.