Opinion ID: 1847170
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Due Process Test

Text: The due process test first enunciated in International Shoe requires that in order to subject a nonresident defendant to a personal judgment, the defendant must have certain minimum contacts with the forum state such that the maintenance of the suit does not offend traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice. International Shoe, supra, 326 U.S. at 320, 66 S.Ct. at 160. The test has been interpreted by the United States Supreme Court in a series of cases since International Shoe. See Superior Supply Co. v. Associated Pipe & Supply Co., 515 So.2d 790, 792-796 (La.1987) for a summary of each of these cases. The test has evolved into a two-part test, the first part being the minimum contacts prong, which is satisfied by a single act or actions by which the defendant purposefully avails itself of the privilege of conducting activities within the forum state, thus invoking the benefits and protections of its laws. Burger King Corp. v. Rudzewicz, 471 U.S. 462, 475, 105 S.Ct. 2174, 2183, 85 L.Ed.2d 528 (1985); Hanson v. Denckla, 357 U.S. 235, 253, 78 S.Ct. 1228, 1239, 2 L.Ed.2d 1283 (1958). The nonresident's purposeful availment must be such that the defendant should reasonably anticipate being haled into court in the forum state. World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson, supra, 444 U.S. at 297, 100 S.Ct. 559. The second part of the due process test centers around the fairness of the assertion of jurisdiction. Hence, once the plaintiff meets his burden of proving minimum contacts, a presumption of reasonableness of jurisdiction arises and the burden then shifts to the opposing party to prove the assertion of jurisdiction would be so unreasonable in light of traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice as to overcome the presumption of reasonableness created by the defendant's minimum contacts with the forum. de Reyes v. Marine Management and Consulting, Ltd., 586 So.2d 103, 107 (La.1991) (citing 4 Charles A. Wright and Arthur R. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure Sec. 1067, pp. 301-302).