Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Petitioner v. the Superior Court of San Francisco County, Respondent; Bracy Anderson…

Summary

The court held that California may exercise specific personal jurisdiction over Bristol-Myers Squibb in claims by nonresident Plavix users because BMS purposefully conducted extensive California marketing, sales, distribution, research, and other activities substantially connected to a nationwide course of conduct underlying the claims. It rejected general jurisdiction because BMS was not essentially at home in California, and it concluded that exercising specific jurisdiction was reasonable and consistent with due process. Justice Werdegar, dissenting, would have held that the nonresident claims lacked a substantial connection to BMS's California activities.