Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court confronted an important question regarding the ever-evolving issue of personal jurisdiction. Specifically, the court evaluated Ford Motor Co.’s appeal of a lower court’s holding that Ford was subject to jurisdiction in the state of Montana in connection with a lawsuit premised on a car accident that occurred in Montana, brought by a Montana citizen, and centered on issues involving the design and manufacture of a vehicle model sold by Ford in Montana—but where the specific vehicle involved in the accident was actually purchased outside of the forum state. The court’s ultimate decision could dramatically impact where and how individuals can sue corporations for personal injuries.

In 2015, Markkaya Jean Gullett, a Montana resident, was driving a Ford Explorer in Montana when she lost control of the vehicle and died as a result of the vehicle rolling into a ditch.