Genuine Parts Company, Defendant Below-Appellant v. Ralph Allan Cepec and Sandra Faye Cepec, Plaintiffs Below-Appellees

Summary

The Delaware Supreme Court held that registering to do business in Delaware and appointing a registered agent under Delaware's registration statutes does not constitute consent to general personal jurisdiction for claims unrelated to the corporation's Delaware activities. In light of due-process limits on general jurisdiction, the court construed the statutes to authorize service of process but not to subject every registered foreign corporation to all-purpose jurisdiction. Because Genuine Parts was not essentially at home in Delaware and the plaintiffs conceded that specific jurisdiction was unavailable, the court reversed dismissal denial and directed dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction. Justice Vaughn, dissenting, would have affirmed because the due-process decisions did not address consent-based jurisdiction and, in his view, did not displace the prior rule.