Continental Resources, Inc. v. Zachary Buckles, Deceased, By and Through His Personal Representative, Nicole R. Buckles, et al.

Zachary Buckles worked at an oil-production site in North Dakota where he died, allegedly as the result of tortious acts or omissions of contractors also working at the North Dakota site. The Montana Supreme Court held that Montana courts may exercise specific personal jurisdiction over the Oklahoma-based owner of the site, Continental Resources, Inc., based on the application of Montana law authorizing vicarious liability for the torts of independent contractors. The questions presented are:

1. Whether the “arise out of or relate to” requirement of the specific-personal-jurisdiction test is met when none of the defendant’s forum contacts caused the plaintiff’s claims, such that the plaintiff’s claims would be the same even if the non-resident defendant had no forum contacts.

2. Whether the Montana courts may exercise specific personal jurisdiction over an Oklahoma resident for claims arising from an accidental death on a North Dakota worksite consistent with the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the principles of federalism it incorporates.