In a blow for the defense bar, the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously rejected arguments that state courts do not have jurisdiction over certain types of investor class actions that have especially dogged tech companies in California.

Defense lawyers have been waging a losing battle over the past half-decade, mainly in California but also in New York and other states, to keep securities fraud class actions out of state courts — where they say federal safeguards meant to curb abusive class actions do not apply.