World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson
| World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson | |
|---|---|
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| Argued October 3, 1979 Decided January 21, 1980 |
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| Full case name | World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. v. Woodson |
| Docket nos. | 78-1078 |
| Citations | 444 U.S. 286 (more)
100 S.Ct. 559; 62 L.Ed.2d 490
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| Holding | |
| Restatement of holding in Hanson v. Denckla. Specifically concerning minimum contacts rule. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | White, joined by Burger, Stewart, Powell, Rehnquist, Stevens |
| Dissent | Brennan |
| Dissent | Marshall, joined by Blackmun |
| Dissent | Blackmun |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amend. XIV | |
World-Wide Volkswagen Corp v. Woodson, 444 U.S. 286 (1980) is a United States Supreme Court case involving strict products liability, personal injury and various procedural issues and considerations. The 1980 opinion, written by Justice Byron White, is included in the first-year civil procedure curriculum at nearly every American law school for its focus on personal jurisdiction.
Harry and Kay Robinson purchased a new Audi 100 LS automobile from Seaway Volkswagen, Inc. in Massena, New York, in 1976. The following year, as Kay Robinson passed through Oklahoma on Interstate 44 en route to the Robinsons' new home in Arizona, the Audi was struck from the rear by a drunk driver in a 1971 Ford Torino. The impact of the collision itself did not directly injure any of the Robinsons, but the crash resulted in the Audi's doors jamming shut and a puncture in the car's gas tank. A fire then severely burned the trapped Kay Robinson and her two children riding in the Audi, Eva and Sam.
The Robinsons did not bring a suit against Lloyd Hull, the drunk driver. He had no insurance or assets and was therefore judgment proof. The Robinsons claimed that a product defect in the car led to the injuries they sustained—specifically, the Audi's gas tank was located beneath the trunk, in an area that the Robinsons claimed was susceptible to being punctured and igniting in a rear-end collision. They brought suit against the automobile’s manufacturer (Audi), its importer (Volkswagen of America), its regional distributor (World-Wide Volkswagen Corp.), and its retailer dealer (Seaway Volkswagen).
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