United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Power Manufacturing Co. v. Saunders, 274 U.S. 490 (1927)

Power Manufacturing Company v. Saunders

No. 258

Submitted March 16, 1927

Decided May 31, 1927

274 U.S. 490

Syllabus

1. A state law restricting venue in transitory actions, if against a domestic corporation, to a county where it has a place of business or in which its chief officer resides, or, if against a natural person, to a county where he resides or is found, but which permits that such actions, when against a foreign corporation, be brought in any county of the state, is unreasonable and arbitrary, and in violation of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, as applied to a foreign corporation doing business in the state by her permission and having a fixed place of business and an agent in one county, but none, and no property or debts, in the county in which the suit is instituted. P. 274 U. S. 493.

2. A foreign corporation, by seeking and obtaining permission to do business in a state, does not subject itself to provisions in the state statutes which conflict with the federal Constitution. P. 274 U. S. 497.

169 Ark. 748 reversed.

Error to a judgment of the Supreme Court of Arkansas which affirmed a judgment against the above-named company

Page 274 U. S. 491

recovered by Saunders in an action for personal injuries.