A software company headquartered in California conducts business nationwide, including selling products and advertising in Ohio. However, the company has no offices or employees in Ohio. A plaintiff residing in Ohio sues the company in Ohio state court, alleging a breach of contract related to a product ordered and delivered to their Ohio residence. The company argues the Ohio court lacks jurisdiction over it. Should the Ohio court exercise personal jurisdiction over the company?
Yes, the Ohio court can exercise general jurisdiction because the company advertises and sells products nationwide, including Ohio.
No, the Ohio court cannot exercise jurisdiction because merely advertising in a state does not create sufficient jurisdictional contacts.
No, the Ohio court cannot exercise jurisdiction since the company has no physical presence or employees in Ohio.
Yes, the Ohio court can exercise specific jurisdiction because the company purposefully directed activities toward Ohio, and the lawsuit arises from those activities.
The correct answer is based on whether the company's contacts with Ohio are sufficient to establish specific personal jurisdiction. Specific personal jurisdiction exists when the defendant has purposeful contacts with the forum state, and the claim arises out of or relates to those contacts. In this case, by selling products and advertising in Ohio, the company has availed itself of the benefits of doing business in Ohio. Since the claim is directly related to a contract for a product purchased and delivered in Ohio, exercising specific jurisdiction federally aligns with due process principles.
Other choices might reference unrelated contacts (like merely advertising or general publicity) or misstate the standard for exercising jurisdiction. General jurisdiction, for instance, would not apply here since it requires continuous and systematic connections, which the question expressly excludes.
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