Transure, Inc., a California Corporation Transure, Ltd., a British Corporation v. Marsh and McLennan Inc., a Corporation

Transure, Inc., a California corporation, and Transure, Ltd., a British corporation, (collectively referred to as “Transure”) originally filed this action in the California Superior Court, Marin County. The defendants are Marsh and McLennan, Inc. (Marsh, Inc.), Marsh and McLennan Companies, Inc. (Companies), both Delaware corporations, and Crusader Insurance Company, Ltd. (Crusader), a South African Corporation.

The defendants removed the action to the federal district court. Transure subsequently moved to remand the action to the state court on the ground that the presence of alien corporations on both sides of the controversy defeated diversity jurisdiction. The district court denied the motion.

After several months of discovery regarding personal jurisdiction, all the defendants moved to dismiss. Crusader and Companies argued that the court lacked in personam jurisdiction over them because they lacked contacts with California. Marsh, Inc. acknowledged that it did business in California but argued that venue in the state court was improper and required dismissal of the action. The district court granted all of these motions. On appeal, Transure challenges each of these…