United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Troy Bank v. Whitehead & Co., 222 U.S. 39 (1911)

Troy Bank v. G. A. Whitehead & Company, Inc.

No. 56

Submitted October 9, 1911

Decided November 6, 1911

222 U.S. 39

Syllabus

When two or more plaintiffs, having separate and distinct demands, unite for convenience and economy in a single suit, it is essential that the demand of each be of the requisite jurisdictional amount; but when several plaintiffs unite to enforce a single title or right, in which they have a common and undivided interest, it is enough if their interest collectively equal the jurisdictional amount.

The Circuit Court has jurisdiction of a suit brought by several plaintiffs to enforce a vendor's lien equally securing notes aggregating more than $2,000 held by them and which neither can enforce in the absence of the other, even though the claims of each plaintiff is less than $2,000.

184 F.9d 2 reversed.

The facts, which involve the question of whether the sum or value of the matter in dispute was sufficient to give the circuit court jurisdiction, are stated in the opinion.