Piper Aircraft Co. v. Reyno

A small aircraft manufactured by Piper Aircraft (defendant) with propellers made by Hartzell Propeller (also a defendant) crashed in Scotland, killing all Scottish passengers aboard; Gaynell Reyno (plaintiff), administratrix of the estates, filed wrongful-death suits in California state court, admitting she chose U.S. courts because American law was more favorable than Scots law. After removal to federal court and transfer to Pennsylvania, the district court dismissed on forum non conveniens grounds, but the Third Circuit reversed, holding dismissal was improper whenever the alternative forum's law was less favorable to the plaintiff; the Supreme Court granted certiorari.