Laaperi purchased a smoke detector manufactured by Black & Decker from Sears.One night, a short-circuit occurred in the Laaperi house and an electrical fire broke out.Because the circuit was shorted, the AC-operated smoke detector received no power and did not sound an alarm.As a result, the Laaperis suffered extensive personal injuries and property damages.Laaperi filed a product liability suit under state law.Assume that Black & Decker is incorporated in Delaware and has its principle place of business in Charlotte, North Carolina.Laaperi lives in North Carolina, which is where the fire occurred and the alarm system was purchased.In which court should the plaintiff file suit for alleged damages of over a million dollars?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The plaintiff should file the product liability suit in the North Carolina state court. This is because the fire occurred in North Carolina, the smoke detector was purchased in North Carolina, and the plaintiff also resides in North Carolina. The court would have both subject matter and personal jurisdiction over the case. The fact that Black & Decker is incorporated in Delaware and has its principle place of business in North Carolina does not affect this decision.

Laaperi Purchased a Smoke Detector Manufactured by Black & Decker