Supreme Court Rules Daimler Can’t Be Sued In California for Alleged Abuses in Argentina

California courts can’t exercise general personal jurisdiction over DaimlerChrysler AG for alleged human rights violations against union supporters in Argentina by subsidiary Mercedes-Benz Argentina because allowing California courts to exercise jurisdiction would violate the due process clause of the 14th Amendment, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court held Jan. 14 (Daimler AG v. Bauman, U.S., No. 11-965).

In an opinion by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, joined by seven other justices, the court said neither DaimlerChrysler’s place of incorporation nor its principal place of business is in California. Moreover, the company’s contacts with the state are not “so ‘continuous and ...