Burger King Corp. v. Rudzewicz
United States Supreme Court
471 U.S. 462 (1985)
Michigan residents Brian MacShara and John Rudzewicz (defendants) negotiated a Burger King (plaintiff) franchise partly through Burger King's Michigan office and partly with its Miami headquarters, attended franchise training in Florida, purchased $165,000 in equipment from Burger King's Miami division, and were contractually obligated to remit ongoing fees to Miami; when they defaulted on payments, Burger King sued for breach of contract in federal court in Florida. Rudzewicz argued Florida lacked personal jurisdiction over him since he had no ties to the state and never physically entered it; the district court found jurisdiction proper and ruled for Burger King, but the court of appeals reversed, finding no personal jurisdiction, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Whether a defendant who negotiates and enters a long-term franchise agreement with an out-of-state corporation, without ever physically entering the forum state, has established sufficient minimum contacts with that state to satisfy personal jurisdiction.