Gulf Oil Corp. v. Gilbert

Gulf Oil Corp. v. Gilbert (1947) is a court case that clarified when a court can hear a case involving parties from different states. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a state can refuse to hear a case if the dispute has little connection to that state and another state has a more significant interest. In this case, New York courts declined to hear a dispute involving a Pennsylvania company and Virginia customer, citing inconvenience. The Court emphasized principles of fairness and efficiency, setting guidelines for when courts should dismiss cases to avoid unnecessary or burdensome litigation across state lines.