ROGER SILK V. BARON BOND, ET AL, No. 21-56286 (9th Cir. 2023)
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Plaintiff provided tax- and estate-planning services. Plaintiff filed a claim in Baltimore County Orphans’ Court against Defendant’s Estate for fees allegedly due under contracts. After the Estate disallowed the claim, Plaintiff sued in federal court. After the Estate disallowed the claim, Plaintiff sued in federal court. The district court dismissed Plaintiff’s suit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, finding that the suit was barred by the “probate exception” to federal court jurisdiction.
The Ninth Circuit reversed the district court’s judgment dismissing for lack of personal jurisdiction Plaintiff’s suit alleging breach of contract. The panel held that none of the Goncalves categories applied to Plaintiff’s suit against the Estate. First, neither party contends that Plaintiff was seeking to annul or probate Bond’s will. Second, this suit does not require the federal courts to administer Defendant’s Estate. Valuing an estate to calculate contract damages is not administering an estate. Third, this suit does not require the federal courts to assume in rem jurisdiction over property in the custody of the probate court. If Plaintiff were to prevail at trial, he would be awarded an in personam judgment for money damages. The panel held that Plaintiff made out a prima facie case of personal jurisdiction. The panel held that the district court erred in holding that Plaintiff’s suit was barred by the probate exception to federal jurisdiction.
Court Description: Personal Jurisdiction. The panel reversed the district court’s judgment dismissing for lack of personal jurisdiction Roger Silk’s suit alleging breach of contract.
Silk provided Frank Bond tax- and estate-planning services. When Bond died, Silk filed a claim in Baltimore County Orphans’ Court against Bond’s Estate for fees allegedly due under contracts. After the Estate disallowed the claim, Silk sued in federal court.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Marshall v. Marshall, 547 U.S. 293 (2006), this Court held that the probate exception bar to federal jurisdiction was limited to cases in which the federal courts would be called on to “(1) probate or annul a will, (2) administer a decedent’s estate, or (3) assume in rem jurisdiction over property that is in the custody of the probate court.” Goncalves v. Rady Children’s Hosp. San Diego, 865 F.3d 1237, 1252 (9th Cir.
2017).
The panel held that none of the Goncalves categories applied to Silk’s suit against the Estate. First, neither party contends that Silk was seeking to annul or probate Bond’s will. Second, this suit does not require the federal courts to administer Bond’s Estate. Valuing an estate to calculate contract damages is not administering an estate. Third, this suit does not require the federal courts to assume in rem jurisdiction over property in the custody of the probate court. If Silk were to prevail at trial, he would be awarded an in personam judgment for money damages. Also, the fact that assets under control of the Orphans’ Court might ultimately have to satisfy a federal court judgment or a federal court order to pay court expenses does not mean that any such judgment or order is an order disposing of assets under the control of the Orphans’ Court. Finally, this decision is consistent with authority from other circuits.
The panel held that Silk made out a prima facie case of personal jurisdiction. Under California’s long-arm statute for the exercise of personal jurisdiction, the Estate had “minimum contacts” with California. During his life, Frank Bond established purposeful contact with California via his contacts with Silk, then a California resident, for services. In doing so, Bond created a muti-year business relationship with Silk in California. The panel held that it was reasonable for California courts to exercise specific personal jurisdiction over Bond’s Estate. The panel rejected the Estate’s challenges to the exercise of personal jurisdiction.
The panel held that the district court erred in holding that Silk’s suit was barred by the probate exception to federal jurisdiction. Because at this stage of the proceedings Silk has made a prima facie case for personal jurisdiction over the Estate, the panel reversed and remanded for further proceedings.
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