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Simple English definitions for legal terms
pendent party jurisdiction
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A quick definition of pendent party jurisdiction:
Pendent party jurisdiction is when a federal court has the power to decide not only the federal question involved but also any other questions – whether federal or state in nature – that must be resolved in order to decide the claim. This means that if there is any claim over which a federal court has an independent basis for subject-matter jurisdiction, the court can also decide related state law claims. The court can only do this if the state and federal claims derive from a common nucleus of operative fact and it is significantly more efficient to try the claims together due to common facts. The court has the discretion to decline to exercise this authority in certain circumstances.A more thorough explanation:
Pendent party jurisdiction is a legal term that refers to a type of supplemental jurisdiction. It means that if a federal court has jurisdiction over a claim, it can also decide any other related questions, whether they are federal or state law. This is important because it allows all related legal issues to be resolved in one case, making the process more efficient.
For example, if someone sues a company for violating a federal law, and also has a state law claim against the same company, the federal court can hear both claims together. This is because they arise from the same set of facts, and it would be more efficient to resolve them together.
The idea of pendent party jurisdiction was first established in a 1933 case called Hurn v. Oursler. The Supreme Court later refined the doctrine in a 1966 case called United Mine Workers v. Gibbs. Congress later codified the doctrine in 28 U.S.C. § 1367.