United States v. New York & O. S. S. Co.

216 F. 61, 132 C.C.A. 305, 1914 U.S. App. LEXIS 1320
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedApril 26, 1914
DocketNo. 153
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 216 F. 61 (United States v. New York & O. S. S. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. New York & O. S. S. Co., 216 F. 61, 132 C.C.A. 305, 1914 U.S. App. LEXIS 1320 (2d Cir. 1914).

Opinion

ROGERS, Circuit Judge

(after stating the facts as above). [11 The petition alleges that the petitioner is “a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.” A corporation is a citizen of the country or state by which it is incorporated, and it has its residence in such country or state and not elsewhere. In Shaw v. Quincy Mining Co. (1892) 145 U. S. 444, 450, 12 Sup. Ct. 935, 937 (36 L. Ed. 768), Mr. Justice Gray declared that:

“The legal existence, the home, the domicile, the habitat, the residence, the citizenship of the corporation can only be in the state by which it was created, although it may do business in other states whose laws permit it.”

And in Insurance Company v. Francis (1870) 11 Wall. 210, 216 (20 L. Ed. 77), Mr. Justice Davis said:

“A corporation can have no legal existence outside the sovereignty by which it was created. Its place of residence is there, and can be nowhere else. Unlike a natural person, it cannot change its domicile at will, and, although it may be permitted to transact business where its charter does not operate, it cannot on that account acquire a residence there.”

We must conclude, therefore, that this suit is brought by an alien and a resident of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This makes it necessary to consider the conditions under which an alien residing outside the United States can maintain an action against the United States.

[2] The United States cannot be sued either by a private individual or by a state without its consent. Louisiana v. Garfield, 211 U. S. 70, 29 Sup. Ct. 31, 53 L. Ed. 92; Kansas v. United States, 204 U. S. 331, 27 Sup. Ct. 388, 51 L. Ed. 510. And consent by the United States to be sued must be evidenced by an act of Congress. Stanley v. Schwalby, 162 U. S. 255, 16 Sup. Ct. 754, (10 L. Ed. 960; Hill v. United Stales, 9 How. 386. Government officers cannot waive the govern[64]*64ment’s privilege in this respect. Their consent that such a suit may be brought cannot bind the government of the United States. Carr v. United States, 98 U. S. 433, 25 L. Ed. 209.

Congress has made provision whereby under certain limitations suits may be brought against the government, in the courts of the United States, although no consent has ever been given that it may be sued in a state court in any case. Stanley v. Schwalby, supra. The question now presented to the court is whether any act of Congress authorized the District Court to assume jurisdiction of the case at bar.

In 1855 Congress created the Court of Claims (Act Feb. 24, 1855, c. 122, 10 Stat. E. 612, 614) and conferred upon it jurisdiction to hear and determine “all claims” of the character enumerated in the act. There was nothing in the act distinguishing claims by aliens from claims brought by citizens.

In 1863 Congress passed the Captured and Abandoned Property Act (Act March 12, 1863, c. 120, 12 Stat. L. 820, 821) which authorized “any person” who claimed as owner of any such property to prefer his claim for the proceeds thereof in the Court of Claims. Under this act it was held that aliens could file such claims, and the court appears to have been of the opinion that it had jurisdiction of any suit brought by an alien. Scharfer’s Case, 4 Ct. Cl. 529, 532; Wagner’s Case, 5 Ct. Cl. 637, 638.

In 1868 Congress forbade the bringing of any suit in any court by an alien under the Captured and Abandoned Property Act (Act July 27, 1868, c. 276, 15 St. E. 243). It contained, however, a provision that:

“This section shall not be construed so as to deprive aliens who are citizens or subjects of any government which accords to citizens of the United States the right to prosecute claims against such government in its courts, of the privilege of prosecuting claims against the United States in the Court of Claims, as now provided by law.”

The Revised Statutes defining the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims provide as follows:

“Sec. 1059. — The Court of Claims shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the following matters: First. — All claims founded upon any law of Congress, or upon any regulation of an Executive Department, or upon any contract, expressed or implied, with the government of the United States, and all claims which may be referred to it by either House of Congress. * * * ” U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 734.
“Sec. 1068. — Aliens, who are citizens or subjects of any government which accords to citizens of the United States the right to prosecute claims against such government in its courts, shall have the privilege of prosecuting claims against the United States in the Court of Claims, whereof such court, by reason of their subject matter and character, might take jurisdiction.” U. S. Comp. St. 1901, p. 740.

The Tucker Act, under which this suit was brought, was passed by Congress on March 3, 1887 (24 Stat. E. 505, 506). And the pertinent portions of that act are as follows:

“Sec. 1. That the Court of Claims shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the following matters: First. — All claims founded upon the Constitution of the United States or any law of Congress, excexit for pensions, or upon any regulation of an Executive Department, or upon any contract, ex[65]*65pressed or implied, with the government of the United States, or for damages, liquidated or unliquidated, in eases not sounding in tort, in respect of which claims the party would be entitled to redress against the United States either iu a court of law, equity or admiralty if the United States were sua-ble. * * ~
“Sec. 2. That the District Courts of the United States shall have concurrent Jurisdiction with the Court of Claims as to all matters * * * in the preceding section where the amount of the claim does not exceed one thousand dollars, and the Circuit Courts of the United States shall have such concurrent jurisdiction in all cases where the amount of such claim exceeds one thousand dollars and does not exceed ten thousand dollars. * ® ®
“Sec. 4. That the jurisdiction of the respective courts of the United States proceeding under this act, including the right of exception and appeal, shall be governed by the law now in force, in so far as the same is applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this act. * * *
“Sec. £5. That the plaintiff in any suit brought under the provisions of the second section of this act shall file a petition, duly verified, with the clerk of the respective court having jurisdiction of the case, and in the district where the plaintiff resides. . Such petition shall set forth the full name and residence of the plaintiff, the nature of* his claim, and a succinct statement of the facts upon which the claim is based, the money or any other thing claimed, or the damages sought to be recovered and praying- the court for a judgment or decree upon the facts and law.
“Sec. 6.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Antranik Malajalian v. United States
504 F.2d 842 (First Circuit, 1974)
Weir v. Corbett
158 F. Supp. 198 (W.D. Washington, 1957)
Argonaut Navigation Co. v. United States
142 F. Supp. 489 (S.D. New York, 1956)
Goldstone v. Payne
94 F.2d 855 (Second Circuit, 1938)
Munro v. United States
89 F.2d 614 (Second Circuit, 1937)
Munro v. United States
10 F. Supp. 412 (W.D. New York, 1935)
Murrell v. STOCK GROWERS'NAT. BANK OF CHEYENNE
74 F.2d 827 (Tenth Circuit, 1934)
Philippine Refining Corp. v. United States
29 F.2d 134 (E.D. New York, 1928)
The Milwaukee Bridge
26 F.2d 327 (Second Circuit, 1928)
The Steel Navigator
23 F.2d 590 (Second Circuit, 1928)
Kunglig Jarnvagsstyrelsen v. United States
19 F.2d 761 (Second Circuit, 1927)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
216 F. 61, 132 C.C.A. 305, 1914 U.S. App. LEXIS 1320, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-new-york-o-s-s-co-ca2-1914.