Pacific Employers Ins. Co. v. Industrial Accident Comm'n
In this article we will explore the impact of Pacific Employers Ins. Co. v. Industrial Accident Comm'n on different aspects of modern society. Since its appearance on the public scene, Pacific Employers Ins. Co. v. Industrial Accident Comm'n has generated great interest and debate among experts and citizens alike. Its influence has spread to various areas, from politics and economics to culture and entertainment. Over the next few lines, we will analyze in detail how Pacific Employers Ins. Co. v. Industrial Accident Comm'n has changed the way we live, think and relate to each other.
| Pacific Employers Insurance Co. v. Industrial Accident Commission | |
|---|---|
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| Argued December 12, 1938 Decided March 27, 1939 | |
| Full case name | Pacific Employers Insurance Co. v. Industrial Accident Commission |
| Citations | 306 U.S. 493 (more) 59 S. Ct. 629; 83 L. Ed. 940 |
| Case history | |
| Prior | Pac. Employers Ins. Co. v. Indus. Accident Comm'n, 10 Cal. 2d 567, 75 P.2d 1058 (1938); cert. granted, 305 U.S. 563 (1938). |
| Holding | |
| Federalism overcomes the Full Faith and Credit Clause where a state is enforcing its own laws on events occurring within the state. | |
| Court membership | |
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| Case opinion | |
| Majority | Stone, joined by Hughes, Black, Reed, Roberts, McReynolds, Butler |
| Frankfurter took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. | |
Pacific Employers Insurance Co. v. Industrial Accident Commission, 306 U.S. 493 (1939), was a conflict of laws case decided by the United States Supreme Court, in which the court held that principles of federalism overcome the Full Faith and Credit Clause where a state is enforcing its own laws on events occurring within the state.
Facts
The plaintiff, a Massachusetts resident, was employed as a chemical engineer and research chemist by Dewey & Almy Chemical Company, a Massachusetts company. The employee traveled to California to visit a branch factory, where he was injured. The employee filed a lawsuit in California seeking compensation for his injuries. The employer tried to assert as a defense that under Massachusetts law, a person covered under Massachusetts workman's compensation waived the right to sue employer for damages. The California courts found the Massachusetts law inapplicable to an injury occurring in California, and the employee received an award under California employee compensation law. The insurance companies responsible for paying the award and subrogating the payment appealed.
Issue
The Supreme Court considered whether California's application of its own law to these circumstances violated the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution, which requires states to honor the laws of other states.
Result
The court unanimously held that the principle of federalism overcomes the Full Faith and Credit Clause – each state must be able to exercise its own laws within its own boundaries. In this case, there was no Full Faith and Credit Clause violation because California was merely applying its own law to events occurring in California.
External links
- Text of Pacific Employers Insurance Co. v. Industrial Accident Comm'n, 306 U.S. 493 (1939) is available from: CourtListener Justia Library of Congress