Supreme Court limits diversity citizenship for banks News
Supreme Court limits diversity citizenship for banks

[JURIST] In addition to its ruling [JURIST report] in the Oregon assisted suicide case, the US Supreme Court [official website] on Tuesday limited the citizenship of a bank to the state in which its main office is located for purposes of diversity jurisdiction. The Court in Wachovia Banks v. Schmidt [Duke Law case backgrounder], 04-1186, reversed a Fourth Circuit decision [PDF text] that no diversity jurisdiction existed to support a petition for arbitration by Wachovia [corporate website] in federal court. In an 8-0 opinion [text] authored by Justice Ginsburg, the Court held that banks' citizenship was limited under 28 U.S.C. § 1348 [text], otherwise federally chartered banks would have limited access to federal courts compared to state banks. Justice Thomas did not participate in the case.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.