Law
The Interplay Between Personal Jurisdiction and Internet-Based Contacts
Quick fact
The U.S. Supreme Court has never directly ruled on when a website creates personal jurisdiction, so lower courts rely on the 'Zippo sliding scale'—treating a website's interactivity as the key factor—and the 'Calder effects test' for intentional online conduct.
Why this is interesting
You run a small online store from your home, and a customer in another state sues you. Can that state's court force you to defend yourself there? The answer depends on a surprisingly subtle doctrine that has been stretched to fit the digital age.