October Term 2004 · Docket 04-70
Can a federal court dismiss only non-qualifying parties in a diversity case?
Parties dispute whether federal courts must dismiss entire cases when some claims lack the required amount in controversy.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Stearns argued that the Court should treat pendent party jurisdiction as a logical extension of prior law.
Mr. Phillips cited the Zahn decision to support the view that class actions require all members to meet the amount requirement.
Justice Stevens questioned why the minimum remedy is not simply dismissing non-qualifying parties.
Justice O'Connor suggested that the statute implies the court has jurisdiction over the action but not defective claims.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 1-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 1-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 4-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 4-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 30-1 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 30-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 4-6 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 4-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 4-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 12-33 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 12-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 18-22 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 18-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 1-4 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 1-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 21-24 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 21-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 28-28 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 28-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-22 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 18-25 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 18-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 21-34 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 21-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 34-9 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 34-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 12-12 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 12-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 10-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 10-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 33-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 30-31
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of federal diversity jurisdiction. The core issue is how courts handle mixed claims where some meet the statutory amount threshold and others do not. The Court must define the proper procedural remedy for these jurisdictional defects.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 12-33 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 12-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 18-25 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 18-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 33-36
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 1, 2005.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 4-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 21-34 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 21-34
What each side wants
Exxon Mobil wants the Court to allow dismissal of only non-qualifying parties.
Allapattah Services wants the Court to require dismissal of the entire case.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 12-33 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 12-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 18-25 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 18-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 33-36
What each side says
Exxon Mobil argues that dismissing specific parties preserves valid claims and avoids unnecessary prejudice.
Allapattah Services argues that partial dismissal creates complex issue preclusion problems and violates statutory text.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 12-33 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 12-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 18-25 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 18-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 33-36
What the justices asked
Justice Stevens asked why courts cannot simply dismiss parties lacking the jurisdictional amount.
Justice Breyer questioned whether adding a plaintiff changes the original jurisdictional basis.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 1-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 1-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 4-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 4-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 30-1 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 30-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 4-6 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 4-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 18-22 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 18-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 1-4 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 1-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 21-24 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 21-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 28-28 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 28-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-22 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 34-9 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 34-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 12-12 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 12-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 10-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 10-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 30-31
Why it matters
This dispute defines the limits of federal court power over mixed claims. It determines how judges manage cases with varying claim values. The outcome shapes procedural efficiency and fairness for litigants nationwide. It clarifies the balance between statutory text and practical case management.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 12-33 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 12-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 18-25 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 18-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 33-36
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 1-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 1-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 4-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 4-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 30-1 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 30-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 4-6 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 4-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 4-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-21 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 18-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 18-22 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 18-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 1-4 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 1-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 21-24 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 21-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 28-28 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 28-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-22 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 21-34 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 21-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 34-9 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 34-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 12-12 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 12-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 10-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 10-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 30-31
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 12-33 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 12-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 18-25 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 18-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 33-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 30-30 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 30-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 12-33 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 12-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 18-25 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 18-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 33-36 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 33-36
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.