Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Ericsson GE Mobile Communications, Inc. v. Motorola Communications & Electronics, Inc. Case Brief

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit1997Docket #421217
120 F.3d 216 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 22375 1997 WL 447358 Federal Courts Civil Procedure Administrative Law

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
3 min read

tl;dr: An unsuccessful bidder sued in federal court to void a city contract awarded to a competitor. The court dismissed the case, finding the potential value to the plaintiff—a chance to rebid—was too speculative to meet the amount-in-controversy requirement for diversity jurisdiction.

Legal Significance: This case establishes that in the Eleventh Circuit, the amount in controversy for diversity jurisdiction must be measured from the plaintiff’s viewpoint. It also holds that the speculative value of an opportunity to rebid on a government contract is insufficient to meet the jurisdictional minimum.

Ericsson GE Mobile Communications, Inc. v. Motorola Communications & Electronics, Inc. Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Ericsson GE Mobile Communications, Inc. (“EGE”) and Motorola Communications & Electronics, Inc. (“Motorola”) submitted bids for a public safety radio system contract with the City of Birmingham. EGE bid $9.7 million on one technology system (APCO 16), while Motorola bid $11.3 million on a different, newer system (APCO 25). The City decided the APCO 25 system better suited its needs, rejected both formal bids, and then negotiated a contract directly with Motorola. EGE filed a diversity action in federal court under Alabama’s Competitive Bid Law, alleging the process was improper and seeking an injunction to void the City’s contract with Motorola. The district court denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, finding the amount in controversy requirement was met. After a trial, the district court voided the contract, and the defendants appealed, challenging both the jurisdictional ruling and the merits.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: In a diversity action seeking only to enjoin a government contract awarded to a competitor, is the amount in controversy requirement satisfied where the plaintiff’s sole potential benefit is the speculative opportunity to rebid on the contract?

No. The court reversed the district court’s judgment and remanded with instructions Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in

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Legal Issue

In a diversity action seeking only to enjoin a government contract awarded to a competitor, is the amount in controversy requirement satisfied where the plaintiff’s sole potential benefit is the speculative opportunity to rebid on the contract?

Conclusion

This case solidifies the plaintiff-viewpoint rule for determining the amount in controversy Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ul

Legal Rule

In the Eleventh Circuit, the amount in controversy for diversity jurisdiction in Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate vel

Legal Analysis

The court first conducted a thorough analysis of circuit precedent to determine Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • The Eleventh Circuit follows the plaintiff-viewpoint rule for determining the amount
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dol

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