Chase Manhattan Bank v. South Acres Dev. Co., 434 U.S. 236 (1978)

Chase Manhattan Bank (National Association) v.

South Acres Development Co.
No. 77-267

Decided January 9, 1978
434 U.S. 236

ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES

COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

Syllabus

The District Court of Guam held not authorized to exercise federal diversity jurisdiction.

(a) Title 48 U.S.C. § 1424(a), setting forth the District Court’s jurisdiction, contains no provision for diversity jurisdiction, and the first clause of that statute granting the court federal question jurisdiction cannot be construed as also encompassing diversity jurisdiction, the Constitution itself distinguishing between these two types of jurisdiction.

(b) Nor does the fact that Congress, in 48 U.S.C. § 1421b(u), extended the Privileges and Immunities Clauses to Guam disclose an intention impliedly to authorize the District Court to exercise diversity jurisdiction, there being nothing in § 1421b(u)’s language or legislative history to support a finding of such intention.

Certiorari granted; 554 F.2d 976, reversed.