United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Geneva Furniture Mfg. Co. v. S. Karpen & Bros., 238 U.S. 254 (1915)

Geneva Furniture Manufacturing Company v. S. Karpen & Bros.

No. 496

Submitted December 17, 1914

Decided June 14, 1915

238 U.S. 254

Syllabus

Where the plaintiff really makes a substantial claim under an Act of Congress, the district court has jurisdiction whether the claim ultimately be held good or bad. The Fair v. Kohler Die Co., 228 U. S. 22.

Jurisdiction is the power to consider and decide one way or the other as the law may require; it is not to be declined because it is not foreseen with certainty that the party invoking it may succeed.

Where a bill includes several causes of action, some arising under the patent laws and others on breach of contractual relations, and one of the defendants is a corporation that cannot be sued in the district without its consent, save in cases arising under the patent laws, the rule in equity respecting joinder of causes of action yields to the jurisdictional statute and, if the designated defendant objects to the jurisdiction, the bill must be dismissed, so far as that defendant is concerned, as to the causes of action not arising under the patent laws.

Whether in such a case all the causes of action may be maintained in a single bill as against the other defendants is a question of general equity jurisdiction and practice, and is not open to consideration on direct appeal to this Court under § 238, Judicial Code. Bogart v. Southern Pacific Co., 228 U. S. 137.

Page 238 U. S. 255

The facts, which involve the jurisdiction of the district court in cases arising under the patent laws of the United States, are stated in the opinion.

Page 238 U. S. 257