Decker v. Circus Circus Hotel
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
49 F.Supp.2d 743 (1999)
The Deckers (plaintiffs) sued Circus Circus Hotel (defendant), a Nevada corporation with no property, offices, agents, or advertising specifically targeting New Jersey, arguing personal jurisdiction existed based on the hotel's affiliated corporations doing business in New Jersey, its interactive website forming Nevada-law contracts with New Jersey customers, its nationwide media campaigns reaching New Jersey, and its promotional mailings to former guests or requesters in the state. The hotel moved to dismiss or transfer for lack of personal jurisdiction.
Whether a court may exercise personal jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant only if the plaintiff proves that the defendant purposefully availed itself of the forum state's benefits and protection.