Jaynes v. Jaynes, 801

Decision Date22 April 1974
Docket NumberDocket 73-2809.,No. 801,801
Citation496 F.2d 9
PartiesMary Frances JAYNES, Appellant, v. Manly W. JAYNES, Jr., et al., Appellees.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Second Circuit

Mary Frances Jaynes, pro se.

Before HAYS and OAKES, Circuit Judges, and CHRISTIANSEN,* District Judge.

PER CURIAM:

This pro se complaint against individuals for acts allegedly done in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi may be treated as one for violation of appellant's civil rights or as one based upon diversity of citizenship. These individuals, appellees here, were neither served with process nor did they appear in this action. The district court treated the case as primarily a civil rights case and dismissed it on the ground of improper venue, 28 U.S.C. §§ 1391(b) & 1406(a). It did so correctly, since none of the acts alleged to have deprived appellant of her civil rights took place in the Northern District of New York, and none of the alleged perpetrators reside in the Northern District of New York.

Beyond this, even if jurisdiction were treated as being based solely on diversity of citizenship under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(a)—in which event venue in the Northern District would be proper—the appellant has never obtained service of process over any of the appellees within the territorial limits of New York State. Fed.R.Civ.P. 4. As has been held, "the presence of venue does not dispense with the necessity for service in order to acquire personal jurisdiction." Rabiolo v. Weinstein, 357 F.2d 167, 168 (7th Cir. 1966), cert. denied, 391 U.S. 923, 88 S. Ct. 1816, 20 L.Ed.2d 659 (1968).

Appellant apparently did ask the district court to subpoena the defendants below, over 30 in number, to appear. True, the district court has such power as to witnesses if the witnesses in a civil case reside within the district or without the district but within 100 miles of the place of hearing or trial. Fed.R. Civ.P. 45(e) (1). Similarly, in a criminal case brought by the United States witnesses may be subpoenaed without regard to where they live in this country. Fed.R.Crim.P. 45(e) (1). But this is a civil case in which appellant seeks to have the district court subpoena parties who reside in Texas or other parts of the country more than 100 miles from any place within the Northern District of New York for the purpose of obtaining jurisdiction over them. The district court has no power to subpoena these parties and as such had no jurisdiction; accordingly, we...

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8 cases
  • Surowitz v. NEW YORK CITY EMPLOYEES'RETIREMENT SYSTEM
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
    • 9 Mayo 1974
    ...either effected or attempted. Thus, he is not as yet before the Court in any legal manner. Fed.R.Civ. P. 4; see Jaynes v. Jaynes, 496 F.2d 9, 10 (2d Cir. 1974) (per curiam). The jurisdiction point on which plaintiff must fail in this suit is apparent on the face of his complaint. Plaintiff ......
  • Amen v. City of Dearborn
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Sixth Circuit
    • 24 Marzo 1976
    ...in order to obtain in personam jurisdiction over either the "City defendants" or the "individual defendants." See, e. g., Jaynes v. Jaynes, 496 F.2d 9 (2d Cir. 1974); Backo v. Local 281, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, 438 F.2d 176, 180 (2d Cir. 1970), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 8......
  • Coleman v. Crisp
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Western District of Oklahoma
    • 26 Septiembre 1977
    ...have brought this action in the Eastern Judicial District of Oklahoma and for this reason the Complaint should be dismissed. Jaynes v. Jaynes, 496 F.2d 9 (CA2 1974); Daugherty v. Procunier, 456 F.2d 97 (CA9 1972). See also Walker v. Weaver, supra, where the court denied leave to proceed in ......
  • Brockton Sav. Bank v. Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., 85-1174
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — First Circuit
    • 26 Agosto 1985
    ...at a hearing or trial of a witness beyond the court's subpoena powers. In re Guthrie, 733 F.2d 634, 637 (4th Cir.1984); Jaynes v. Jaynes, 496 F.2d 9, 10 (2d Cir.1974); GFI Computer Industries, Inc. v. Fry, 476 F.2d 1, 5 (5th Cir.1973); Steel, Inc. v. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, 41 ......
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