Snyder v. Harris Gas Service Company

Separate and distinct claims presented by and for various claimants in federal diversity actions may not be added together to provide the requisite $10,000 jurisdictional amount in controversy. Fed. Rule. Civ. Proc. 23, as amended in 1966, did not change the scope of the statutory grant of district court jurisdiction, as the longstanding judicial interpretation of that statute cannot be changed by an amendment to the Rules, and there is no compelling reason for overturning settled judicial constriction of "matter in controversy" in the light of consistent congressional re-enactment of that language against a background of judicial interpretation that the phrase does not encompass the aggregation of separate and distinct claims. Pp. 332-342.

No. 109, 390 F.2d 204, affirmed; No. 117, 389 F.2d 831, reversed.

Charles Alan Seigel argued the cause for petitioner in No. 109. With him on the brief was Hyman G. Stein. Gerrit H. Wormhoudt argued the cause for petitioner in No. 117. With him on the brief were Kirke W. Dale and Dale M. Stucky.

James L. Zemelman argued the cause for respondents in No. 109. With him on the brief was Morris A. Shenker. Robert Martin argued the cause for respondent in No. 117. With him on the brief were D. Arthur Walker and Richard Cook.