World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson

The Robinsons bought their car from World-Wide Volkswagen (plaintiff), a New York corporation with no business in Oklahoma, while living in New York; while driving through Oklahoma en route to a move to Arizona, they were struck by another car and severely burned in a resulting fire, allegedly caused by a design defect. They sued World-Wide in Oklahoma state court; World-Wide made a special appearance challenging personal jurisdiction given its total lack of Oklahoma contacts. The trial court and Oklahoma Supreme Court both upheld jurisdiction, and World-Wide sought certiorari.

Whether foreseeability alone is sufficient to authorize a state court's assertion of personal jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant that has no contacts, ties, or relations with the forum state.