Legal Document

490 U.S. 495 109 S.Ct. 1976 104 L.Ed.2d 548 LAURO LINES S.R.L., Petitionerv.Sophie CHASSER et al. No. 88-23. Argued April 17, 1989. Decided May 22, Syllabus Respondents—passengers and representatives of the estates passengers on a cruise ship hijacked by terrorists—filed suit in District Court against petitioner, ship's owner, to recover damages for personal injuries wrongful death one passenger. Before trial, petitioner moved dismiss actions, citing forum-selection clause printed each passenger ticket, which purported obligate institute any connection with contract Italy renounce right sue elsewhere. The denied motions, holding that ticket did not give reasonable notice they were waiving opportunity domestic forum. Appeals dismissed petitioner's appeal ground Court's dismissal orders interlocutory appealable under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, fall within exception rule nonappealability carved out collateral order doctrine. Held: An denying defendant's motion action basis contractual is immediately 1291. Such an final usual sense, it does end litigation merits but, contrary, ensures will continue. Nor narrow normal application judgment known as doctrine, effectively unreviewable from judgment. be sued only particular forum, compared avoid altogether, although perfectly secured after judgment, sufficiently vindicable at stage essentially destroyed if vindication postponed until trial completed. Moreover, costs associated unnecessary litigation, should eventually decided erred trying case, do warrant allowing immediate pretrial order. That there may policy favoring enforcement foreign clauses goes claim its agreement requires filed enforced federal courts, but affect appealability prejudgmentorder, turns contours asserted, likelihood eventual success merits. Pp. 497-501. 844 F.2d 50 (CA 2 1988) affirmed. BRENNAN, J., delivered opinion unanimous Court. SCALIA, concurring opinion, post, p. 502. Raymond A. Connell, New York City, petitioner. Arnold I. Burns, respondents. Justice BRENNAN 1 We granted certiorari consider whether United States 1291 hold not. * individual respondents were, or represent persons who aboard Achille Lauro when was terrorists Mediterranean October 1985. Petitioner Lines s.r.l., Italian company, owns Lauro. Respondents suits Southern sustained result hijacking Leon Klinghoffer. before ticket. This arising Naples, Italy, 3 motions dismiss, whole Without moving certification pursuant 1292(b), sought orders. Second Circuit court held Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp., 337 541, 69 1221, 93 L.Ed. 1528 (1949). (1988). resolve disagreement among Courts Appeals. 488 887, 217, 102 208 Compare, e.g., (1988) (case below), Rohrer, Hibler & Replogle, Inc. Perkins, 728 860, 862-863 (CA7) (holding prejudgment denial 1291), cert. denied, 469 890, 105 265, 83 201 (1984), Hodes S.N.C. ed Altri-Gestione, 858 905, 908 (CA3 1988), dism'd, 1001, 1633, 149 (1989); Sterling Forest Associates, Ltd. Barnett-Range 840 249, 253 (CA4 1988); Farmland Industries, Frazier-Parrott Commodities, Inc., 806 848, 851 (CA8 1986) such order). now affirm. II 4 Title provides courts appeals "final decisions district States." For purposes generally regarded "a decision 'ends leaves nothing execute judgment.' " Van Cauwenberghe Biard, 486 517, 521, 108 1945, 1949, 100 517 (1988), quoting Catlin States, 324 229, 233, 65 631, 633, 89 911 (1945). civil brought another jurisdiction ends litigation. On "ensures continue Court." Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. Mayacamas 485 271, 275, 1133, 1136, 99 296 Section thus permits based upon falls "narrow [that] has come doctrine." Midland Asphalt 489 794, 798, 1494, 1498, 103 879 (1989). "small class" pre-judgment "finally determine claims separable fr m, to, rights asserted [and are[ too important review independent cause itself require appellate consideration deferred case adjudicated." Cohen, supra, U.S., 546, S.Ct., 1226. have exception, must satisfy least three conditions: "It 'conclusively disputed question,' 'resolve issue completely separate action,' 'be Richardson-Merrell Koller, 472 424, 431, 2757, 2761, 86 340 (1985), Coopers Lybrand Livesay, 437 463, 468, 98 2454, 2458, 57 351 (1978). present purposes, we need decide conclusively determines issue, resolves action, fail third requirement test. 5 recently reiterated "general rule" "effectively unreviewable" "where involves 'an legal practical value would vindicated trial.' 799, MacDonald, 435 850, 1547, 1552, 56 18 If this take place York, been put trouble expense, forum diminished. It always true, however, "there . triumphing rather than it," n. 7, 1553, declined find enough order, see 436, 2764 ("[T]he possibility ruling erroneous impose additional expense sufficient set aside finality imposed Congress" 1291). Instead, insisted 6 cases involving criminal prosecutions deprivation tried appealable. Helstoski Meanor, 442 500, 2445, 61 30 (1979) (denial Speech Debate Clause); Abney 431 651, 97 2034, 52 651 (1977) double jeopardy grounds). See 801, 1499 ("A sense relevant rests explicit statutory constitutional guarantee occur") (emphasis added). Similarly, cases, absolute immunity prior Nixon Fitzgerald, 457 731, 742-743, 2690, 2697-2698, 73 349 (1982), "for essence possessor's entitlement answer his conduct action," Mitchell Forsyth, 511, 525, 2806, 2815, 411 (1985). And qualified pursued appeal, because "is suit." Id., 526, 2816 (emp asis original). 7 other hand, doctrine applicable where claim, defendant all, properly lacks jurisdiction. In he had immune service process presence compelled extradition face charges. noted that, Mitchell, "[t]he critical question 'the essence' claimed stand trial," 524, 1950, amount suit—even though essential court's over defendant. also 236, 635 (order petition condemnation land appealable, "even jurisdictional grounds"). 8 argues here provided tribunal concomitant anywhere else. "right haled tribunals outside agreed forum," claims, cannot improper Brief 38-39. There no obviously correct way characterize embodied provision: "all litigants meritorious can reasonably trial." Cauwenberghe, 1950. appears most like free characterized—as petitioner—as all except Neapolitan less subjected Appeals—as binding adjudication occur certain forum." F.2d, 55. Cf. 526-527, 1951-1952. Even assuming former characterization proper, entitled different kind Petitioner's while adequately stage—surely lacked defendant—and hence prong 9 strong clauses, Bremen Zapata Off-Shore Co., 407 1, 92 1907, 32 513 (1972), "the their enforcement." 40-41. A go courts. Immediate enforcement, insofar depends satisfaction test, precise 10 Affi med. concurring. 11 I join write separately make express what seems me implicit analysis. 12 reason say elsewhere Naples "adequately vindicable," ante, 501, merely reversing obtained violation is, quite simply, law deem by, injunction through appeal. importance significant part our When first formulating (1949), said determinations are "separable from, also, added, "too review." 1226 Our later retained requirement. example, (1977), qualify involve "an 'lost, probably irreparably,' await judgment." 658, 2039 added), 1225. (1978), "resolve action." 2458 522-527, 1949-1952, (1988); 276-277, 1136-1137, (1985); Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital Mercury Construction 460 12, 927, 935, 74 765 (1983); 742, 2697, (1982). 13 While therefore, Naples" fully vindicated—indeed, utterly frank, positively destroyed—by permitting outcome, overcome policies militating appeals. made created limitations established Congress international treaty, supra. same applies—if anything, fortiori—when private agreement.

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