Definition
A law allowing courts to exercise jurisdiction over out-of-state defendants who have sufficient contacts with the state. The legal system's way of saying distance doesn't equal immunity.
Example Usage
The long arm statute permitted the California court to exercise jurisdiction over the Delaware corporation doing business in the state.
Origin
From the metaphor of the state's legal authority having a 'long arm' reaching beyond its borders
Fun Fact
Long arm statutes led to the development of 'minimum contacts' doctrine, because courts needed some limit on how far the arm could reach.
Source: Civil procedure and jurisdiction terminology
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