Strawbridge v. Curtiss

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Strawbridge v. Curtiss

Argued February 12, 1806
Decided February 13, 1806

Full case name:	Strawbridge, et al. v. Curtiss, et al.

Citations:	7 U.S. 267; 3 Cranch 267; 1806 WL 1213 (U.S.Mass.); 2 L.Ed. 435

Holding

A controversy is not "between citizens of different states," so as to give jurisdiction to the federal courts, unless all the persons on one side of it are citizens of different states from all the persons on the other side.

Court membership

Chief Justice: John Marshall
Associate Justices: William Cushing, William Paterson, Samuel Chase, Bushrod Washington, William Johnson

Case opinions

Majority by: Marshall
Joined by: unanimous

Laws applied

Judiciary Act of 1789

Strawbridge v. Curtiss, 7 U.S. 267 (1806)^[1], was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States first addressed the question of complete diversity. In a 158 word opinion the court held that for federal diversity jurisdiction under section 11 of the Judiciary Act of 1789, every party on one side must be citizens of a different state. Therefore, when there are joint plaintiffs or defendants, jurisdiction must be established as to each party. This requirement remains in law as a matter of statutory interpretation, not constitutional law.