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LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

amount in controversy

Read a random definition: nondisclosure agreement

A quick definition of amount in controversy:

Amount in controversy: The amount of money a person is asking for in a lawsuit. This can also include the value of non-monetary things like an injunction. If someone wants to sue in a court that handles cases between people from different states, they need to ask for more than $75,000. The court will believe them unless the other side can prove they can't get that much. Sometimes, people can add up multiple claims to reach the $75,000. Class action lawsuits need to ask for more than $5,000,000. Some state courts have their own rules about how much money someone can ask for.

A more thorough explanation:

Amount in controversy refers to the amount of money or value of a non-monetary remedy that a plaintiff seeks in a lawsuit. It is important because it determines whether a case can be heard in a particular court.

For a case to be heard in district court on grounds of diversity jurisdiction, the amount in controversy a plaintiff pleads must exceed $75,000. This means that if a person is suing someone from a different state, they can only do so in federal court if they are seeking more than $75,000. For example, if someone from California is suing someone from New York for $100,000, they can file their lawsuit in federal court.

John, who lives in California, is suing Jane, who lives in New York, for $80,000. John can file his lawsuit in federal court because the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000.

As established by the Class Action Fairness Act, a district court only has jurisdiction over a class action if the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000,000. This means that if a group of people are suing a company for damages, they can only do so in federal court if the total amount they are seeking exceeds $5,000,000.

A group of 500 people are suing a company for $10,000 each, for a total of $5,000,000. They can file their lawsuit in federal court because the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000,000.

State courts also have amount in controversy requirements, usually appearing in the form of tiered court systems. This means that depending on the amount being sought, a case may only be heard in a certain court.

In Massachusetts, small claims court only has jurisdiction over cases where the amount in controversy does not exceed $7,000. This means that if someone is seeking damages of $10,000, they cannot file their lawsuit in small claims court.

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Dkk
19:42
SEO is big money
2016 pushed the conservative party into populism irreversibly
Dkk
19:43
Maybe, but if this is populism, then every election is populist.
19:43
@Dkk: yeah register 1 website and every swinging tom dick and harry calls/emails/texts to 'help with seo'. like bruh, if YOU found it, what i am doing is working
Dkk
19:43
Indeed!
19:48
wasp, i think people are hopeful for a gov who at least attempts to care about the common man
MIAMI A
[] AromaticTroubledDormouse
20:55
How does one know if they are UR1 or UR2?
[] AromaticTroubledDormouse
20:56
CONGRATS MACAQUE!
TY
got a random stanford email and almost had a heart attack
ALSO CONGRATS!
Congrats1!
21:15
Miami A, yall I'm so excited I could cry.
21:15
Feel like I can finally stop holding my breath!! Whew!!!
[] baddestbunny
22:16
every time I get accosted by a strange man who follows me around because my male coworkers were too busy talking to walk me back to my car I get closer to saying we need to bring back traditional gender roles
Dkk
22:32
Nice! @Macaque
Dkk
22:32
@Aromatic, Have to guess.
Dkk
22:33
That sucks @Bunny do you have to go to the hospital?
[] baddestbunny
22:40
I said accosted not assaulted
23:35
guys. my notre dame address just went long is this good or bad
1a2b3c4d26z
23:37
Oooooo me too
23:37
omg is this good or bad
Dkk
23:47
Idk if gender roles are gunna fix that then.
23:49
it looks like most people who applied in october last cycle didn't get a decision until january... does it even mean anything that our addresses went long??
hows ED 2 compared to ED 1?
Dkk
0:10
No idea
windyMagician
0:34
reporting live to say my ndls address also went long
does it mean anything ^
Dkk
2:21
NDLS and Fordham took a very long time last year. It's good info for people to know.
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