Joseph v. Office Of The Consulate General Of Nigeria

830 F.2d 1018 Catherine JOSEPH, Plaintiff/Appellee/Cross-Appellant, v. OFFICE OF the CONSULATE GENERAL OF NIGERIA, Consulate General of Nigeria, Federal Republic of Nigeria, et al., Defendants/Appellants/Cross-Appellees. Nos. 86-2630, 86-2707. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted June 10, 1987. Decided Oct. 19, 1987. John H. Aspelin, San Francisco, Cal., for plaintiff/appellee/cross-appellant. Carol Johnson Roduit, San Francisco, Cal., for defendants/appellants/cross-appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Before CHOY, Senior Circuit Judge, TANG and NELSON, Circuit Judges. CHOY, Senior Circuit Judge: 1 This appeal primarily requires us to decide whether the district court has subject matter jurisdiction over a landlord-tenant dispute between a landlord and a foreign state, its consulate, and its consular officials. We conclude that the district court has jurisdiction over the landlord's breach of contract and tort claims. The district court's order finding jurisdiction over only the tort claims is affirmed in part and reversed in part. BACKGROUND 2 The sovereign defendants in this case are the…