United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Washington-Virginia Ry. Co. v. Real Estate Trust Co., 238 U.S. 185 (1915)

Washington-Virginia Railway Company v.

Real Estate Trust Company of Philadelphia

No. 212

Argued April 29, 30, 1915

Decided June 14, 1915

238 U.S. 185

Syllabus

Whether a corporation is doing business within a district so as to have submitted itself to the jurisdiction, and was present therein so as to warrant service of process upon it, depends in each case upon the facts proved.

In this case, while the corporation operates railways outside of Pennsylvania and has its general office and keeps one of its bank accounts outside of that state, it has an office in the Eastern District and that state, where its president and treasurer reside, and has an office and keeps bank accounts within that District, and under all the circumstances of the case, held that the corporation defendant had submitted to the local jurisdiction, enjoyed the protection of the laws, and therefore service within the District on its president was sufficient to give the district court jurisdiction.

The facts, which involve the question of whether the plaintiff in error had been properly served with process so as to give the district court jurisdiction of the action, are stated in the opinion.

Page 238 U. S. 186