Opinion ID: 2215646
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Interest in Providing a Forum and Convenience of Parties

Text: Neither forum interest nor litigational convenience is a factor of consequence in this case. Minnesota does have some interest in providing a forum, since one member of the plaintiffs' joint venture is a Minnesota corporation and the other does business here. Bonhiver v. Louisiana Brokers Exchange of Baton Rouge, Inc., 255 F.Supp. 254 (D.Minn.1966); Franklin Mfg. Co. v. Union Pacific R. Co., 297 Minn. 181, 210 N.W.2d 227 (1973). A reading of the affidavits appears to favor defendants on the issue of convenience because more witnesses and documentary materials are present in Wisconsin and the subject of the contractthe airportis there. However, the convenience issue cannot be dispositive since plaintiff does have some right to choose his forum and there is no serious inconvenience either way. Planck v. Minneapolis, St. P. & S. S. M. Ry. Co., 274 Minn. 561, 143 N.W.2d 641 (1966). The difference between a trial in Winona and one in LaCrosse is de minimis in terms of convenience. What is important, though, in connection with a discussion of forum interest and convenience of the parties, is our consistent position, dating back at least to The Dahlberg Co. v. Western Hearing Aid Center, Ltd., 259 Minn. 330, 107 N.W.2d 381, certiorari denied, 366 U.S. 961, 81 S.Ct. 1921, 6 L.Ed.2d 1253 (1961), that jurisdiction should be asserted under our long-arm statutes whenever the minimal contacts are present unless, despite the contacts, our forum is not really convenient. [9] In short, jurisdiction should be exercised unless, despite the contacts, the court finds that Minnesota jurisdiction is improper on forum-non-conveniens grounds. See, Willoughby v. Hawkeye-Security Ins. Co., 291 Minn. 509, 511, 189 N.W.2d 165, 167 (1971), quoting Johnson v. Chicago, B. & Q. R. Co., 243 Minn. 58, 79, 66 N.W.2d 763, 776 (1954):    The district courts of this state may fairly exercise their discretion in declining to accept jurisdiction of transitory causes of action brought here by citizens or noncitizens of this state who are nonresident when it fairly appears that it would be more equitable that the cause of action be tried in some other available court of competent jurisdiction. Here, since the contacts are substantial and related to the cause of action, jurisdiction follows because there is no forum non conveniens basis on which to decline to assert jurisdiction. Defendants' most troublesome contention is that jurisdiction should not be exercised here because their contacts with the state were only casual and sporadic and at most but incidental to defendants' contract performance. In making this contention, defendants rely especially on Fourth Northwestern Nat. Bank v. Hilson Industries, Inc., 264 Minn. 110, 117 N.W.2d 732 (1962), and Branstrom & Associates, Inc. v. Community Memorial Hospital, 296 Minn. 366, 209 N.W.2d 389 (1973). We find, however, that the contacts here are significantly more numerous and substantial than those present in Hilson. Each case must of course be decided on its own facts. Thompson v. Kiekhaefer, 372 F.Supp. 715 (D.Minn. 1973). As for the Branstrom case, [10] it is distinguishable in that the out-of-state defendant hospital's only in-Minnesota contact with the plaintiff, besides by mail or phone, was its authorization for consultation by the plaintiff with another Minnesota corporation in Minneapolis concerning the layout of an X-ray room at the hospital. In any event, there were no discussions or inspections on a continuing basis in Branstrom, and because of that factual difference the case cannot be controlling here. We rely instead upon Aftanase and upon our recent decisions in Northwestern Nat. Bank of St. Paul v. Kratt, Minn., 226 N.W.2d 910 (1975); American Pollution Prevention Co. Inc. v. National Alfalfa Dehydrating and Milling Co., Minn., 230 N.W.2d 63 (1975). In Northwestern National Bank we held that discussions and meetings concerning a contract within this state were sufficient contacts. In American Pollution, we upheld jurisdiction based in part on solicitation of business in Minnesota. With four of the five factors in Aftanase and two of our recent decisions pointing toward jurisdiction, we find substantial reason for reversing. Reversed and remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.