Nelson v. Keefer
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
451 F.2d 289 (1971)
Nelson (plaintiff) sued Keefer (defendant) in federal diversity court for injuries and property damage from a car accident, seeking damages built mostly from minor injuries and related medical bills. The district court, after giving Nelson a chance to justify his claim, concluded it was legally certain no verdict for Nelson could reach the then-required $10,000 jurisdictional minimum, and dismissed the case before trial. Nelson appealed, arguing the pre-trial dismissal deprived him of his statutory right to a jury trial.
Whether a federal court may dismiss a case before trial when it can be determined with legal certainty that the amount-in-controversy jurisdictional requirement is not satisfied.