Skip To Content

Worldwide Travel Incorporated, et al. v. Travelmate US, Inc., et al.

August 5, 2020

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia was faced with the issue of determining whether a Defendant’s solicitation of business with the District of Columbia and a contract with a business based in the District of Columbia were sufficient contacts to establish personal jurisdiction under the District of Columbia Long Arm Statute, in light of the Due Process Clause. The Court examined the Due Process Clause which requires “minimum contacts” between the Defendant and the forum in order to permit the exercise of personal jurisdiction. The Court determined that the Defendant lacked sufficient minimum contacts in order for the Court to exercise personal jurisdiction. The Court reasoned that “if a plaintiff could hale a defendant into court simply because he took the first step in establishing a contractual relationship . . . it would cut almost to the bone the principal that a contract with a forum resident alone is not enough to create personal jurisdiction over a defendant.”