7 U.S. 267 (1806)
The case of Strawbridge v. Curtiss reached the Supreme Court of the United States for decision in 1806.1
Chief Justice Marshall delivered the opinion of the court after the justices considered the matter.2
The court has considered this case and is of opinion that the jurisdiction cannot be supported.3 The words of the act of congress are “where an alien is a party, or the suit is between a citizen of a state where the suit is brought, and a citizen of another state.”4
The court understands these expressions to mean that each distinct interest should be represented by persons all of whom are entitled to sue or may be sued in the federal courts.5
That is, that where the interest is joint, each of the persons concerned in that interest must be competent to sue or liable to be sued in those courts.6 The court does not mean to give an opinion in the case where several parties represent several distinct interests, and some of those parties are, and others are not, competent to sue or liable to be sued in the courts of the United States.7
The lower court decree was affirmed.8
Whether the jurisdiction of the federal courts can be supported in a suit involving a joint interest, where not all of the persons concerned in that interest are competent to sue or liable to be sued in those courts?9
The words of the act of congress are, “where an alien is a party, or the suit is between a citizen of a state where the suit is brought, and a citizen of another state.” The court understands these expressions to mean, that each distinct interest should be represented by persons, all of whom are entitled to sue, or may be sued, in the federal courts. That is, that where the interest is joint, each of the persons concerned in that interest must be competent to sue, or liable to be sued, in those courts.10
No. The statutory language requires that where the interest is joint, each of the persons concerned in that interest must be competent to sue or liable to be sued in the federal courts.11 The court has considered this case and is of opinion that the jurisdiction cannot be supported.
The jurisdiction cannot be supported and the decree is affirmed.12