Civil Procedure: International Shoe Co. v. Washington (U.S.

Supreme Court,
1945) 

The case doesn’t feel like much at first glance -- it’s about the tax obligations of commissioned
shoe salesmen -- but by the end of the course you’ll be talking about the “Shoe Test” in your
sleep.

 Facts: A Missouri company maintained a staff of commissioned shoe salesmen in

Washington State, but refused to submit to Washington state taxes, as it was not
“situated” in the state.
 Issue: How much of an operation must a business have in a particular state in order to be
subject to a lawsuit in that state’s courts?
 Significance: This case defined personal jurisdiction: a state court’s ability to haul out-
of-state defendants in to face a lawsuit. A defendant needs to be subject to “minimum
contacts” within the state, such that the exercise of jurisdiction “will not offend
traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice.”  But what that really means is
yours to find out.