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Piper Aircraft Co. v. Reyno, 454 U.S. 235 (1981)

Full notes and cites: https://opinion-of-the-court.pages.dev/ep/066-piper-aircraft-co-v-reyno

Official text (U.S. Reports, Library of Congress): https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep454/usrep454235/usrep454235.pdf

Full text of the opinions, AI-narrated (Kokoro-82M, voice af_heart). Original introduction; opinion text is public domain. Not legal advice.

In 1976 a small Piper plane crashed in the Scottish highlands, killing the pilot and five passengers, all Scottish. The plane was made in Pennsylvania and its propellers in Ohio. Gaynell Reyno, a legal secretary appointed in California to administer the estates, sued Piper and the propeller maker in American court, openly because American law on liability and damages was far more favorable than Scottish law.

Justice Marshall, for the Court, held that the possibility of an unfavorable change in law should ordinarily not be given conclusive or even substantial weight in a forum non conveniens analysis. A foreign plaintiff's choice of an American forum deserves less deference than a citizen's choice of home forum. The case belonged in Scotland, where the witnesses and evidence were.

Justices White, Stevens, and Brennan wrote separately in part. Piper remains the leading case on sending lawsuits abroad.

Citations: reporter citations were shortened or left out of the audio; every citation is listed on the website.

Cases named aloud

- Gulf Oil Corp. v. Gilbert, 330 U.S. 501 (1947) [as printed: Gulf Oil Corp. v. Gilbert, 330 U. S. 501 (1947); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] episode

- Rosier v. Lumbermens Mut. Cas. Co., 330 U.S. 518 (1947) [as printed: Rosier v. Lumbermens Mut. Cas. Co., 330 U. S. 518 (1947); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] (episode link pending)

- Williams v. Green Bay & Western R. Co., 326 U.S. 549 (1946) [as printed: Williams v. Green Bay & Western R. Co., 326 U. S. 549 (1946); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] (episode link pending)

- Anglo-American Grain Co. v. The S/T Mina D'Amico, 169 F.Supp. 908 (ED Va. 1959) [as printed: Anglo-American Grain Co. v. The S/T Mina D'Amico, 169 F. Supp. 908 (ED Va. 1959); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] (episode link pending)

- § 1404(a). In Van Dusen v. Barrack, 376 U.S. 612 (1964) [as printed: § 1404(a). In Van Dusen v. Barrack, 376 U. S. 612 (1964); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] (episode link pending)

- Klaxon v. Stentor Electric Mfg. Co., 313 U.S. 487 (1941) [as printed: Klaxon v. Stentor Electric Mfg. Co., 313 U. S. 487 (1941); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] episode

- Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64 (1938) [as printed: Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U. S. 64 (1938); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] episode

- Schlesinger, supra, at 307 at 307 [as printed: Schlesinger, supra, at 307; Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] (episode link pending)

- Kohlenhandel v. A/S Hakedal, 210 F.2d 754 at 757 (CA2) [as printed: Kohlenhandel v. A/S Hakedal, 210 F. 2d 754, 757 (CA2); Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] (episode link pending)

- , supra [as printed: , supra; Opinion of the Court (Justice Marshall)] (episode link pending)

(+4 more named aloud; see the website)

Full list of 107 citations not read aloud: https://opinion-of-the-court.pages.dev/ep/066-piper-aircraft-co-v-reyno